PRIME MINISTER

Date-based Export Scheme

Tim Farron: To ask the Prime Minister what discussions his Department has had with representatives of the European Commission regarding the lifting of the date-based export scheme; and when the scheme will be lifted.

Tony Blair: The Government are in regular contact with the European Commission at all levels about lifting the beef export ban which will end the need for the date-based export scheme.

HEALTH

Mental Health Bill

Ian Gibson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health which black and other ethnic organisations have been consulted on the race equality assessment of the Mental Health Bill.

Liam Byrne: Our Race Equality Impact Assessment Advisory Group included representation from groups such as the Afiya Trust, Diverse Minds and the All Wales Black and Minority Ethnic Mental Health Group. In addition to consultation events, close consultation with the Black and Minority Ethnic Mental Health Network, focus groups in 13 hospitals and web based consultation, we have also had direct submissions from groups such as the African and Caribbean Mental Health Commission and from the Royal College of Psychiatrists Ethnic Minority Group.

Mental Health Bill

Madeleine Moon: To ask the Secretary of State for Health in what languages the document on the Mental Health Bill race equality consultation is available.

Rosie Winterton: There has not been a formal consultation document. Consultation has been an integral part of the race equality impact assessment on the Bill. At our recent race consultation events, language co-ordinators were available to ensure that this was not a barrier to participation.

Mental Health Bill

Brian Binley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health when she expects to be in a position to publish the Mental Health Bill.

Rosie Winterton: The Mental Health Bill was in the Queen's Speech for this session. We plan to introduce it when parliamentary time allows.

NHS Dentistry

Sharon Hodgson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what effect the new dental contract is havingon remuneration for dentists undertaking NHS work.

Stephen Hesford: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what effect the new dental contract is having on remuneration for dentists undertaking NHS work.

Rosie Winterton: A committed NHS dentist typically earns an average £80,000 per year. New dental contracts are being introduced from April. Dentists' NHS incomes are guaranteed at current earnings levels until 2009. Dentists in personal dental services arrangements agree a contract with fixed monthly remuneration. This will apply to new general dental services contracts from April.

NHS Dentistry

Stephen Crabb: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what estimate she has made of the number of pensioners who do not have access to an NHS dentist.

Rosie Winterton: No estimate has been made of the numbers of pensioners in England who may not have access to an national health service dentist. The vast majority of people who contact NHS Direct are given details of practices where they can receive urgent treatment.

NHS Dentistry

Michael Penning: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many NHS dentists have been practising in the Hemel Hempstead constituency in each year since 1997.

Rosie Winterton: The information requested is shown in the table.
	
		General dental services (CDS) and personal dental services (PDS)—Dentists in Hemel Hempstead parliamentary constituency as at 30 September each year
		
			  Number 
		
		
			 1997 36 
			 1998 38 
			 1999 38 
			 2000 44 
			 2001 44 
			 2002 48 
			 2003 44 
			 2004 48 
			 2005 50 
		
	
	Source:
	Dental Practice Board

NHS Dentistry

Sandra Gidley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health when she expects the results of the strategic review of oral health for older people announced by the Chief Dental Officer in April to be published; and if she will make a statement.

Rosie Winterton: The strategic review of oral health of older people will be published by the British Society of Gerodontology in December and launched at their meeting on 8 December.

NHS Dentistry

Andrew Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will publish the indicative budgets for NHS dentistry for 2006–07 that will be provided to each primary care trust from April 2006.

Rosie Winterton: We intend to publish the actual budgets for each primary care trust for dentistry at the end of November.

NHS Dentistry

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Health when she expects to publish details of the criteria for the new Units of Dental Activity.

Rosie Winterton: Under the new arrangements for local commissioning of national health service dentistry from April 2006, units of dental activity (UDA) refer to courses of treatment that are weighted to reflect their relative complexity. The three main categories of courses of treatment correspond to the three bands in the proposed new patient charging system, which was published for three months consultation over the summer. The proposed weightings for different courses of treatments, that is the number of UDA to which they correspond, were set out in the draft general dental services (GDS) and personal dental services (PDS) contract regulations, which were published in August 2005. The final version of those proposed regulations will be laid before Parliament shortly.
	At the end of November, GDS dentists are due to receive information showing their level of activity, expressed in terms of UDA, during the reference period, 1 October 2004 to 30 September 2005, and their NHS earnings during the same period. Primary care trusts (PCTs) and dentists will use this as the basis for agreeing new annual contract values and the number of UDA that the dentist is expected to carry out over the course of the year in return for this annual contract value. GDS dentists will be guaranteed an annual contract value based on their reference period earnings, uplifted to reflect 2006–07 pay and prices, provided the dentists agree with their PCT an annual level of UDA to be carried out during 2006–07 equivalent to 95 per cent. of their activity during the reference period.
	PDS dentists are due to receive similar information from PCTs at the end of November. PDS dentists will be guaranteed an annual contract value worth at least that of their current PDS agreement, uplifted to 2006–07 pay and prices, in return for carrying out annually an appropriate level of UDA agreed with their PCT.

NHS Dentistry

Andrew Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many dentists have been employed in each year since 1997 under (a) general dental service contracts and (b) personal dental service contracts.

Rosie Winterton: The information requested is shown in the table.
	
		Number of dentists employed in general dental services (GDS) and personal dental services (PDS) by contract type in England as at 30 September, 1997 to 2005
		
			  GDS and PDS dentists GDS only dentists PDS only dentists Total 
		
		
			 1997 0 16,670 0 16,670 
			 1998 0 17,199 0 17,199 
			 1999 57 17,606 92 17,755 
			 2000 132 17,845 190 18,167 
			 2001 282 17,970 470 18,722 
			 2002 329 17,995 622 18,946 
			 2003 383 18,151 726 19,260 
			 2004 842 17,023 1,857 19,722 
			 2005 1,940 13,801 5,149 20,890

NHS Dentistry

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans she has to increase the number of NHS dentists.

Rosie Winterton: We announced on 9 November, that 1,453 whole-time national health service dentists had been recruited since April 2004, contributing to a net increase of 1,100 dentists at the end of September 2005, according to figures supplied by the Dental Practice Board.
	We also announced that 189 additional dental students had begun their studies at dental schools in the United Kingdom, 19 more than the 170 target. By 2009–10, there will be approximately 850 more undergraduates in training than in 2004–05.

Mental Illness

James Brokenshire: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment she has made of the availability of choice of therapies for people with mental illness.

Jane Kennedy: We are committed to modernising mental health services to provide patients with quick, easy access to high quality services and effective treatment and care, and to give people greater choice in the treatment and care they receive. Taken together, NHS and local authority expenditure on mental health has increased in real terms by almost £1.27 billion. This is a real increase in resources of over 26.6 per cent. in the period 1999–2000 to 2003–04.
	We along with the National Institute for Mental Health in England are supporting local services in implementing our guidance called 'Organising and Delivering Psychological Therapies' in order to promote choice; and develop new ways of working.

Chlamydia Screening Programme

Barbara Keeley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will make a statement on the National Chlamydia Screening Programme.

Caroline Flint: Chlamydia screening in England began in April 2003 in 10 areas and was extended to a further 16 areas in April 2004. The 26 programmes cover25 per cent. of all primary care trusts and offers opportunistic screening to asymptomatic sexually active men and women under 25 years of age. National screening will begin in April 2006. We are currently on target for full implementation in 2007, as set out in the White Paper Choosing Health: Making Healthier choices easier" published in 2004, copies of which are available in the Library.

Chlamydia Screening Programme

Linda Gilroy: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps her Department is taking to improve access to Chlamydia screening.

Caroline Flint: The National Chlamydia Screening Programme started in April 2003 in 10 areas and was extended to a further 16 areas in April 2004. We are on target for full implementation by 2007.
	In addition to the screening programme, we have also contracted Boots to evaluate the potential of retail pharmacies as Chlamydia screening venues. Screening began on 14 November.
	The key drivers of the project are wider and easier access to screening services in order to provide quick and easily available screening options.

Paddington Health Campus Report

John Randall: To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether she has read the independent report on The Paddington Health Campus: The Lessons Learnt"; and if she will make a statement.

Liam Byrne: This report was commissioned by North West London strategic health authority and is for the SHA to consider and respond to in the first instance. However, its conclusions largely concur with a joint Department of Health, Treasury and National Audit Office report into the project which was published last year and which has been acted upon by the Department.

Blindness/Visual Impairment (Rehabilitation Services)

Nick Hurd: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the responsibilities of local authorities are in respect of the provision of rehabilitation services for blind and visually impaired people.

Liam Byrne: It is for local authorities to determine how best to provide services to meet the needs of individuals in their populations, in the light of local priorities. This includes assessment and provision of appropriate support and rehabilitation services for blind and partially sighted people.

ME

Nicholas Winterton: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what recent research her Department has commissioned on myalgic encephalomyelitis.

Liam Byrne: The Department has commissioned a number of research projects related to chronic fatigue syndrome and myalgic encephalomyelitis and details of these are available on the National Research Register, which can be accessed through the Department's research and development website [at www.dh.gov.uk/research].

Primary Care Trusts

Helen Goodman: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will make a statement on the future role of primary care trusts.

Jane Kennedy: Following unprecedented levels of funding, the national health service has made huge improvements but we know there is more to do to ensure that patients get the services they need.
	We need stronger primary care trusts with a more focused role to:
	Design local health services that best meet the needs of their communities securing availability, quality and fairness for patients.
	Ensure that the money is actually spent in the communities where there is greatest need thus supporting the Government's commitment to reducing health inequalities.
	Be the custodian of taxpayers money working to ensure the NHS maximises the benefits of its resources.
	Support the extension of practice based commissioning so that frontline clinicians who are closest to patients are able to plan and develop services for them.
	Work closely with local government to ensure that patients and service users benefit from joined up services.

Nurses

Jamie Reed: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans her Department has to extend the role of nurses.

Caroline Flint: We have developed new clinical roleslike nurse consultants and modern matrons and community matrons. We have introduced initiatives such as prescribing rights for nurses. We have provided support for new advanced nursing roles in all settings and funded thousands of nurses to take part in leadership programmes.

Abortions

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the total cost of NHS-funded abortions was in each year since 1997.

Caroline Flint: The available information is shown in the following table.
	
		Estimated cost(1), in millions, of national health service funded terminations (performed in the NHS and the independent sector) since 1997
		
			  Estimate cost (£) million 
		
		
			 1997–98 34.8 
			 1998–99 42.9 
			 1999–2000 47.0 
			 2000–01 54.4 
			 2001–02 61.6 
			 2002–03 68.7 
			 2003–04 74.6 
		
	
	(1)Total estimated cost based on the average NHS hospital cost for all years.

Alzheimer's Disease

Roberta Blackman-Woods: To ask the Secretary of State for Health when she expects the National Institute of Health and Clinical Excellence to publish its final guidance on the continued use of (a) donepezil, (b) rivastigmine and (c) galantamine to treat Alzheimer's disease.

Jane Kennedy: This is a matter for the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE). Information about NICE's current work programme is available on the NICE's website at: www.nice.org.uk. I understand that NICE's appraisal committee is due to meet later in December and NICE will conclude the appraisal in April 2006.

Anti-depressant Drugs

Paul Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Healthwhat the (a) number of prescription items and(b) prescription expenditure has been for anti-depressant drugs in each year since 1984; and what the percentage change was between (i) 1984 and 1994, (ii)1994 and 2004 and (iii) 1984 and 2004.

Jane Kennedy: The number of anti-depressant medicines prescribed by the national health service in England between 1984 and 2004 and the cost of these items during this period is shown in table 1.
	
		Table l: NHS anti-depressant prescription medications in England 1984–2004: quantity and cost
		
			  Number of anti-depressant medicines prescribed on the NHS in England Value of anti-depressant items prescribed on the NHS in England (£) 
		
		
			 1984 6,885,619 25,373,866 
			 1985 6,769,247 25,981,683 
			 1986 7,029,186 27,334,792 
			 1987 7,176,740 30,084,435 
			 1988 7,348,989 31,992,693 
			 1989 7,666,176 35,358,676 
			 1990 8,026,669 40,867,911 
			 1991 8,954,500 54,046,476 
			 1992 9,914,330 81,117,564 
			 1993 10,776,690 98,829,813 
			 1994 11,816,438 117,246,286 
			 1995 13,227,137 146,832,856 
			 1996 14,960,610 191,242,848 
			 1997 16,822,563 239,120,545 
			 1998 18,424,473 279,004,273 
			 1999 20,108,130 315,269,246 
			 2000 22,021,840 310,378,169 
			 2001 24,342,713 341,660,880 
			 2002 26,329,382 380,883,112 
			 2003 27,657,990 395,178,028 
			 2004 28,995,511 400,681,709 
		
	
	The percentage change, in prescription volumes and costs between 1984 and 1994, 1994 and 2004 and 1984 and 2004 is shown in table 2.
	
		Table 2: NHS anti-depressant prescription medications in England: volume and cost percentage changes 1984–94; 1994–2004; and 1984–2004 -- Percentage change
		
			   Period NHS anti-depressant medications in England: volume growth change NHS anti-depressant medications in England: cost change 
		
		
			 1984–94 71.6 362.1 
			 1994–2004 145.4 241.7 
			 1984–2004 321.1 1,479.1

Anti-tumour Necrosis Therapy

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  how anti-tumour necrosis therapy out-patients costs will be calculated under the payments by results scheme; and when procedures for purchasing anti-tumour necrosis therapy out-patient services will come into effect;
	(2)  how much money was spent on anti-tumour necrosis therapy in England in each of the last five years;
	(3)  what the total budget for anti-tumour necrosis factor therapy is for 2006–07 in England;
	(4)  how many patients have received anti-tumour necrosis factor therapy in England in each of the last five years;
	(5)  how many patients are waiting to commence anti-tumour necrosis factor therapy in England.

Liam Byrne: Anti-tumour necrosis therapy is already commissioned at local level under arrangements that should cover the cost of patient attendances at outpatient clinics as well as any anti-tumour necrosis factor drugs (anti-TNF drugs). From 2006–07, payment by results will apply a national tariff to rheumatology out-patient clinics. The tariff will set the price for out-patient attendances and will exclude the additional cost of anti-TNF drugs, for which funding will continue to be negotiated locally. These arrangements are already operating in 2005–06 for national health service foundation trusts and other early implementers of payment by results.
	The cost of prescriptions dispensed in the community for the three anti-TNF drugs is shown in the table.
	
		Cost of prescriptions dispensed for anti-TNF drugs, 2000–04
		
			  Cost (£) 
		
		
			 2000 12,000 
			 2001 198,000 
			 2002 327,000 
			 2003 833,000 
			 2004 2,312,000 
		
	
	However, the main use for these drugs was in hospitals. An estimate for 2004 costs for anti-TNF drugs dispensed in hospitals, based on a large sample of hospitals, is £71,658,000.
	Health bodies are obliged to fund, from general allocations, anti-TNF treatment for those with severe rheumatoid arthritis who meet the clinical guidelines setby the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence.
	The Department does not hold information on the number of people who have received anti-TNF treatments.
	We do not collect information on waiting lists for specific treatments.

Audiology

Mark Pritchard: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will make a statement on the roll-out of the newborn hearing screening programme.

Liam Byrne: Overall, about 85 per cent. of newborn babies are now being screened by the newborn hearing screening programme. It is expected that all sites will be screening newborn babies for hearing loss by the end of December 2005.

Avian Influenza

Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what action she has taken to reassure consumers about the safety of chicken and turkey meat in the context of the avian influenza threat.

Caroline Flint: The Government have sought to ensure that the messages they put out about risks to consumers and the wider public posed by avian influenza are evidence-based and proportionate.
	The Food Standards Agency (FSA) has advised that avian influenza does not pose a food safety risk for United Kingdom consumers and has made this available through its website. The FSA has also accepted all requests it has received to give television and radio interviews and has had its views well publicised in the media.

Child Health and Social Services

Annette Brooke: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what progress has been made in the implementation of (a) the National Service Framework for Children, Young People and Maternity Services, (b) Standard 8 of the Framework and (c) the autism exemplar chapter of the Framework.

Liam Byrne: holding answer 15 November 2005
	The national service framework (NSF) for children, young people and maternity services, published in 2004, is a 10-year programme intended to stimulate long term and sustained improvement in children's health.
	Standard eight of the NSF relates to children who are disabled or who have complex needs. It requires that they receive co-ordinated, high-quality child and family-centred services that are based on assessed needs, which promote social inclusion and, where possible, which enable them and their families to live normal lives. Toward this end, the Department will shortly publish an exemplar on complex disability, which will be launched on 30 November at a conference to mark one year since the launch of the NSF. In addition, the Council for Disabled Children will be holding a workshop on 8 December, sponsored by the Department, which will look at what more central Government can do to help colleagues to implement standard eight.
	Exemplars are not standards against which to measure progress. Rather, they are illustrations of policy in the form of a description of a patient's journey.

Child Health and Social Services

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many secondary school-age children suffered from (a) high cholesterol levels, (b) heart failure and (c) diabetes in each year since 1995.

Caroline Flint: The information requested is shown in the table. Patient counts are not available for years prior to 1997–98 and therefore not included.
	
		Diagnosis of school-age children suffering from high cholesterol levels, heart failure and diabetes, England, 1995–96 to 2003–04
		
			  (a) High cholesterol (b) Heart failure (c) Diabetes 
			  Finished consultant episodes Patient counts Finished consultant episodes Patient counts Finished consultant episodes Patient counts 
		
		
			 1995–96 61 — 84 — 3,598 — 
			 1996–97 35 — 76 — 3,729 — 
			 1997–98 59 41 63 46 4,110 2,495 
			 1998–99 44 38 83 56 4,525 2,680 
			 1999–2000 64 55 81 53 4,983 2,934 
			 2000–01 70 54 94 60 5,237 3,158 
			 2001–02 65 50 147 73 5,349 3,240 
			 2002–03 78 66 121 75 5,947 3,507 
			 2003–04 90 77 141 86 6,106 3,629 
		
	
	Source:
	Hospital Episode Statistics (HES), Health and Social Care Information Centre.

Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disorder

Andrew Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment she has made of whether NHS organisations have implemented the guidance issued by the National Institute of Health and Clinical Excellence on chronic obstructive pulmonary disorder, which was published on 25 February 2004.

Liam Byrne: Clinical guidelines from the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) are reflected in the standards published by the Department, which provide a framework for continuous improvement in the overall quality of care people receive. Clinical guidelines are covered by the developmental standards, standards which the national health service is expected to achieve over time. The Healthcare Commission has responsibility for assessing progress towards achieving these standards.

Clinical Negligence Payments

Rosie Cooper: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what clinical negligence payments were made by hospital trusts within the Cheshire and Mersey Strategic Health Authority in 2004 to 2005.

Liam Byrne: The information requested is shown in the table.
	
		Clinical negligence payments made by national health service trusts in the Cheshire and Merseyside Strategic Health Authority area during 2004–05(2)
		
			 Trust Amount (£) 
		
		
			 5 Borough Partnership NHS Trust 52,863 
			 Aintree Hospitals NHS Trust 1,013,764 
			 Cardiothoracic Centre Liverpool NHS Trust 385,543 
			 Cheshire and Wirral Partnership NHS Trust 14,252 
			 Clatterbridge Centre for Oncology NHS Trust 9,362 
			 Countess of Chester Hospital NHS Foundation Trust 1,696,840 
			 East Cheshire NHS Trust 4,970,088 
			 Liverpool Women's Hospital NHS Foundation Trust 6,700,090 
			 Mersey Care NHS Trust 157,420 
			 Mersey Regional Ambulance Services NHS Trust 6,638 
			 Mid Cheshire Hospitals Trust 1,218,475 
			 North Cheshire Hospitals NHS Trust 2,713,357 
			 Royal Liverpool and Broadgreen Universit  Hospitals NHS Trust 934,759 
			 Royal Liverpool Children's NHS Trust 966,097 
			 St. Helens and Knowsley Hospital NHS Trust 1,188,190 
			 Walton Centre for Neurology and Neurosurgery  NHS Trust 519,724 
			 Wirral Hospital NHS Trust 5,028,241 
		
	
	(2)Data relate to the 2004–05 financial year as audited by the National Audit Office.

Complementary and Alternative Medicine

David Tredinnick: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what discussions she has had with the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence on a full clinical assessment of the cost effectiveness of complementary and alternative medical therapies.

Jane Kennedy: There have been no formal discussions with the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) about a full clinical assessment of the cost effectiveness of complementary and alternative medical therapies. However, NICE'S guidance on supportive and palliative care for cancer patients took the view that while there was little conclusive evidence of their effectiveness as a form of treatment, there was some evidence of their value to patients.

Departmental Expenditure (Child Care)

David Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much her Department has spent on (a) child care and (b) child care vouchers for its staff in each of the last five years.

Jane Kennedy: The Department has a yearly budget allocation for a range of child care provision, including subsidised on-site play-scheme places, nursery and out-of-school allowances that are payable to eligible parents.
	The total allocation is shown in the table.
	
		£
		
			  Amount allocated 
		
		
			 2005–06 127,000 
			 2004–05 220,000 
			 2003–04 220,000 
			 2002–03 270,000 
			 2001–02 95,725 
		
	
	The Department does not currently offer child care vouchers to staff, but is currently reviewing its child care provision and is looking favourably at child care vouchers as part of a salary sacrifice scheme.

Doctors

Liam Fox: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what measures she is taking to ensure that doctors trained in the UK are not lost to other countries if they are unable to secure a training post.

Liam Byrne: The number of medically qualified hospital and community health services doctors in training and equivalents has increased from 29,572 in 1997 to 40,844 in September 2004, an increase of 11,272 (38 per cent.). The number of general practitioner registrars has increased from 1,343 in 1997 to 2,481 in June 2005, an increase of 1,138 (88 per cent.).
	Training opportunities arise each week and a number of junior doctors have long taken up training posts outside the United Kingdom. Any doctor in training who experiences difficulty in obtaining a placement should seek help from their postgraduate dean. Departmental Officials have been working closely with the deans to ensure that help and advice is available.

Eating Disorders

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what action is being taken by the Government to reduce the number of cases of eating disorders in young girls.

Caroline Flint: The issue of eating disorders among young people, especially young girls, is a serious problem. Anorexia in particular can have serious consequences for general health and has high rates of mortality.
	In January 2004, the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) published a guideline on the care of people with eating disorders. The guideline makes specific recommendations for the treatment of adolescents and young people in recognition of their unique needs. Some of the recommendations are:
	Effective assessment of people with eating disorders, which includes co-ordination of care, the involvement of patients and their carers, providing good information, moral support and getting help early;
	Involving family members, including siblings, in the treatment of children and adolescents with eating disorders. Interventions may include sharing of information, advice on behavioural management and facilitating communication;
	Offering adolescents with bulimia cognitive behaviour therapy adapted as needed to suit their age, circumstances, level of development and including the family as appropriate; and
	Young people are treated in age appropriate settings.
	While each patient will have their own individual needs, the guideline gives clear recommendations on the type of treatments that are available and sets out a structured pathway of care. NICE have also published information for the public that explains the guideline and sets out what people with eating disorders can expect from the national health service.
	There are opportunities to address healthy eating within the curriculum through science, design and technology and personal, social and health education (PSHE). Children learn about different types of food in the context of a balanced diet, nutrition, safety and hygiene. PSHE also offers scope for schools to explore how young people can access appropriate advice and support.

Equal Pay Claims

Nigel Evans: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  what the cost to each NHS trust of legal fees for defending equal pay claims has been in each year since 1997;
	(2)  how many of the loans from her Department to each NHS trust since 1997 to cover the costs of equal pay claims have been repaid; and what the timescale was for each such repayment;
	(3)  how much has been lent by her Department to each NHS trust to cover the costs of equal pay claims in each year since 1997;
	(4)  what the interest rate was on each loan lent by her Department to NHS trusts to cover the costs of equal pay claims since 1997.

Liam Byrne: Information about the cost of equal pay claims and associated legal costs is not available centrally. The Department of Health has not made any loans to NHS trusts for the costs of equal pay claims.

General Practitioners

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the ratio of men to women general practitioners is.

Liam Byrne: The number of general practitioners, excluding returners and registrars, as at 30 September 2004 was 31,523. Of these, 19,288 were men and 12,235 were women—a ratio of 1:0.63.

General Practitioners

Michael Penning: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what (a) the total number of statins and (b) the number per 1,000 population was prescribed by general practitioner practices in Dacorum Primary Care Trust for the years (i) 2003–04 and (ii) 2004–05; and if she will make a statement.

Rosie Winterton: The information requested is shown in the table.
	
		Total items prescribed the total number of patients and total number of statins items per1,000 population of Dacorum Primary Care Trust (PCT)
		
			  Financial 
			  2003–04 2004–05 
		
		
			 Prescriber name PCT Dacorum PCT Dacorum 
			 British National Formulary name Statins Statins 
			 Total items 43,874 56,722 
			 Total patients 149,955 149,852 
			 Total number of Statin items per 1,000 population 292.6 378.5 
		
	
	Notes:
	ePACT Data
	This information was obtained from the prescribing analysis and cost tool (PACT) system, which covers prescriptions prescribed by general practitioner (GP) practices in England and dispensed in the community in the United Kingdom. For data at PCT level, prescriptions written by a GP practice located in a particular PCT but dispensed outside that PCT will be included in the PCT in which the GP practice is based. Prescriptions written in England but dispensed outside England are included.
	Prescriptions written in hospitals or clinics that are dispensed in the community, prescriptions dispensed in hospitals and private prescriptions are not included in PACT data. It is important to note this as some BNF sections have a high proportion of prescriptions written in hospitals that are dispensed in the community.
	For example, BNF chapter 4, Central Nervous System" has a fair proportion of items written in mental health clinics that are dispensed in the community—these prescriptions are not included in PACT data.

Healthcare Recruitment Agencies

Michael Penning: To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether West Hertfordshire Hospital Trust has used healthcare recruitment agencies based outside the UK for the recruitment of healthcare professionals from developing countries since the Code of Practice was agreed; and if she will make a statement.

Rosie Winterton: The information requested is not held centrally.
	The Code of Practice for the International Recruitment of Healthcare Professionals identifies guiding principles to promote high standards in the recruitment and employment of healthcare professionals from overseas. It is also concerned with the protection of developing countries and seeks to prevent targeted recruitment from developing nations who are experiencing shortages of healthcare staff.

Health Protection Agency

Jim Cousins: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the expenditure was on the Health Protection Agency for 2004–05; and what the planned expenditure is for (a) 2005–06 and (b) 2006–07 in (i) cash and (ii) real terms, including the reductions proposed in the NHS non-departmental body review.

Caroline Flint: holding answer 21 November 2005
	Details of the expenditure of the Health Protection Agency (HPA) in 2004–05 are published in its annual report and accounts, which are available in the Library.
	The budget for the HPA in 2005–06 is £134,300,000, which includes its planned expenditure. The indicative cash budget for the HPA in 2006–07 will be £137,926,000, which includes a 2.7 per cent. increase to allow for inflation.
	The HPA has been asked to make efficiency savings of £4,000,000 in 2006–07, which it is intended will be recycled to HPA front line activities supporting the national health service.

Healthcare Commission

Richard Benyon: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  what guidelines her Department has issued on how long the Healthcare Commission should take (a) to make a decision on whether to conduct an inquiry and (b) to hold an inquiry and produce a report following the death of a patient in NHS care;
	(2)  how many complaints the Healthcare Commission has received about the treatment of patients unable to communicate verbally in each year since its creation;
	(3)  how many requests the Healthcare Commission has received to conduct an inquiry into a patient death in hospital in each year since its creation; and how many of these requests have led to inquiries being launched.

Jane Kennedy: The Healthcare Commission was established by the Health and Social Care (Community Health and Standards) Act 2003 and came into existence on 1 April 2004. It is independent of Government. The Department does not issue guidelines on how the Healthcare Commission should operate.
	Under section 52 of the 2003 Act, the Healthcare Commission has powers to conduct investigations into the provision of health care. The Healthcare Commission has published on its website its own criteria for deciding when it will investigate. Since the end of July 2004, the Healthcare Commission has also had responsibility for managing the second independent review stage of the national health service complaints system.
	I understand from the Chairman of the Healthcare Commission that in the first year of its operation, it received 93 referrals which were considered against its criteria for investigation, resulting in a range of actions, including five formal investigations. Between 1 August 2004 and 1 August 2005, the Healthcare Commission also received 8,260 requests for independent review under the NHS complaints system; 3,799 reviews were completed in the same period. I understand that the Commission does not have information on what proportion of referrals relate to individual patient deaths in hospital. I also understand that the Healthcare Commission does not collect information centrally on complaints relating to patients who cannot communicate verbally. 13 per cent. of all cases received to date under the second stage of the NHS complaints system have contained an issue concerning communication.

Household Products (Health Effects)

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what recent research has been conducted into the impact upon (a) indoor air quality and (b) human health of the use of air fresheners; what advice has been given to the public relating to their use; and if she will make a statement.

Caroline Flint: The Department is aware of recent research by the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children team at the University of Bristol on the effect on health of the use of household products including air fresheners 1 . The results have been noted. However, it is important to be cautious about their interpretation until the results have been supported by other research.
	The committee on the medical effects of air pollutants has published a document, Guidance on the Effects on Health of Indoor Air Pollutants" on its website at: www.advisorybodies.doh.gov.uk/comeap/PDFS/guidanceindoorairQualityDec04.pdf This contains a brief section on volatile organic compounds and on household products. It advises that ensuring good ventilation in homes is the best way to reduce exposure.
	1 Farrow et al (2003) Arch.Env.Health 58(10):633–641; Sherriff et al (2005) Thorax 60(1): 45–49.

Infection Control

Andrew Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will estimate the optimum budget which should be used by an average-sized NHS trust to fund its cleanyourhands campaign; and what resources each NHS trust committed to infection control in the last period for which figures are available.

Jane Kennedy: National health service trusts have always paid for their own handrubs, but in preparation for cleanyourhands, new contracts for handrubs were developed by the NHS Purchasing and Supply Agency. As a result of these new contracts, significant cost savings have been realised. This has meant that in many cases, individual trusts' existing expenditure on alcohol handrubs has been reduced. Expenditure on infection control is decided locally and information is not collected centrally.

Infection Control

Andrew Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many NHS trusts have appointed a director of infection prevention and control; and how many directors of infection prevention and control are also their trust's (a) director of finance, (b) director of estates and facilities, (c) director of nursing and (d) non-executive director.

Jane Kennedy: The information requested is not held centrally.

Influenza

Andrew Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what estimate she has made of the demand for critical care beds in the event of an influenza pandemic; and if she will make a statement.

Rosie Winterton: Estimates of the impact of an influenza pandemic are based on the best available evidence. However, the number of people affected and the impact on the health care system will depend on the nature of the pandemic flu virus. The UK Health Department's Influenza Pandemic Contingency Plan estimates the minimum number of excess hospitalisations, including those who may require intensive care, over the course of a pandemic to be 82,500 for the United Kingdom as a whole. The Department is currently working with the Intensive Care Society to estimate the likely impact of an influenza pandemic on critical care services in particular.

Influenza

Steve Webb: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment she has made of NHS capacity in (a) critical care, (b) secondary care and (c) primary care to cope in the event of an influenza pandemic; and if she will make a statement.

Rosie Winterton: Estimates of the impact of an influenza pandemic are based on the best available evidence. However, the number of people affected and the impact on the healthcare system will depend on the nature of the pandemic 'flu virus. The United Kingdom health departments' influenza pandemic contingency plan estimates the minimum number of excess hospitalisations, including those who will require intensive care, over the course of a pandemic to be 82,500 for the United Kingdom as a whole. The plan also contains estimates for the demand on primary care during an influenza pandemic. These are based on the best available assumptions. The Department is currently working with the Intensive Care Society and other key stakeholders to estimate the likely impact of an influenza pandemic on critical care services.
	We have also provided operational guidance to the national health service to help inform its local planning for a possible influenza pandemic. The Department's routine winter preparations guidance also reinforced the requirement for local NHS to follow guidance from the Department on preparing for an influenza pandemic.

Influenza

Steve Webb: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what her contingency plan is in the event of an influenza pandemic if daily reports on stocks of antivirals show that supplies are getting low.

Rosie Winterton: The United Kingdom's stockpile of antivirals is intended primarily to treat all patients who develop influenza given a clinical attack rate of 25 per cent. The stockpile will be carefully managed to ensure that it is used for the 25 per cent. of the population who are expected to become ill. The use of antiviral medicines will be closely monitored from the outset. However, the clinical attack rate will depend on the nature of the virus. Should the attack rate prove higher than expected, or a pandemic strike before the stockpile is fully established, antivirals may need to be prioritised. The published antiviral strategy allows for prioritisation to treat those front line health staff at higher risk due to exposure and the groups identified as being in greatest clinical need. Further advice will be provided during the pandemic by the UK national influenza pandemic committee on the basis of emerging information.

Influenza

Steve Webb: To ask the Secretary of State for Healthwhat plans her Department has to develop a recovery plan for the period after a possible influenza pandemic.

Rosie Winterton: The UK Influenza Pandemic Contingency Plan" recognises that returning to normal business after a pandemic may take some time for all organisations. We will encourage business and service sectors to consider recovery in their planning for a possible influenza pandemic.

Influenza

Steve Webb: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what factors underlay the assumption of the number of people likely to be affected by an influenza pandemic in her Department's contingency plan; and what preparation is being made for a worst case scenario.

Rosie Winterton: The base scenario in the United Kingdom influenza pandemic contingency plan assumes that 25 per cent. of the population would have clinical symptoms of pandemic 'flu. This is based on the best available evidence, including considerations of influenza pandemics in the 20th century and independent experts. However, there are many uncertainties and the number of people affected and the impact on the health care system will depend on the nature of the pandemic 'flu virus. That is why the plan outlines scenarios with different numbers of people affected.
	The base scenario also considers that at least 0.37 per cent. of those ill will die from pandemic influenza or complications. This is based on the proportion seen in seasonal flu and the 1957 pandemic. Scenarios with a case fatality rate of up to 2.5 per cent. (greater than the pandemic of 1918–19) are also considered in the plan. Local planners are encouraged to consider the range of fatality rates when drawing up their local contingency plans.

Influenza

Steve Webb: To ask the Secretary of State for Health which of the steps listed in Annex G of her Department's Influenza Pandemic Contingency Plan her Department plans to take; and what the timetable is for those actions.

Caroline Flint: On 20 October 2005, the Chief Medical Officer, announced that the Department is inviting manufacturers to tender for a contract to supply pandemic flu vaccine once the pandemic strain is known. The proposal to purchase in advance the capacity needed to make pandemic flu vaccine will make sure that an effective vaccine is available for use in the United Kingdom as early as possible after a flu pandemic starts. The UK will need approximately 120 million doses to be available as soon as possible.
	We are working closely with other countries, the World Health Organization, and the European Commission and are in regular dialogue with manufacturers to ensure that a vaccine can be developed as quickly as possible once a pandemic influenza strain emerges. This will allow us to put arrangements in place to ensure production of vaccine for the UK population.
	We are finalising a contract for the purchase of a two to three million doses of vaccine against the H5N1 strain currently circulating in South East Asia. This vaccine can be used for research and for possible use for healthcare workers in an emergency, and may provide some limited protection against a pandemic emerging from that source. We hope to award this contract shortly.
	We are constantly reviewing all issues identified in annex G of the plan and will implement specific measures when we consider it to be necessary.

Influenza

Laurence Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to the answer of 7 November to Question reference 21455, how much central contingency stock of influenza vaccine her Department holds; how many people this would treat; and if she will make a statement.

Caroline Flint: holding answer 14 November 2005
	The Department has purchased 400,000 doses of flu vaccine. This is sufficient to treat 400,000 adults.

Intermediate Care Beds

Simon Burns: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many intermediate care beds there were in England in each of the last six years for which figures are available; and if she will make a statement.

Liam Byrne: holding answer 14 November 2005
	As at 31 March 2005, there were 29,500 places benefiting over 360,000 people. The NHS Plan aimed for an extra 6,700 places for intermediate care by March 2005; 5,000 residential and 1,700 non-residential places. The national health service has delivered an extra 18,095 places; 270 per cent. more than the combined target. The available data are shown in the table.
	
		Number of intermediate care beds 1999–2000 to 2004–05.
		
			  Places in non-residential IC schemes Intermediate Care beds People using Intermediate Care 
		
		
			 1999–2000 7,149 4,242 132,447 
			 2000–01 (3)— (3)— (3)— 
			 2001–02 13,878 7,021 246,034 
			 2002–03 19,078 7,493 284,365 
			 2003–04 17,339 8,697 333,821 
			 2004–05 20,558 8,928 362,664 
		
	
	(3) Information not collected
	Source:
	Statistical Summary to Chief Executive's Report to the NHS (13 May 2005)

MRSA

Paul Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to the answer of 12 September 2005, Official Report, column 2715W, on MRSA, when she expects to publish the results of the evaluation of the pilot.

Jane Kennedy: We do not plan to prepare a formal report on the pilot. Enhanced surveillance of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) bacteraemias was rolled out to all trusts on 1 October 2005 on the basis of positive feedback from the Health Protection Agency.

MRSA

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State forHealth what recent action the Government have taken to reduce the number of cases of MRSA in hospitals.

Jane Kennedy: The Department has established a wide ranging programme of mutually reinforcing activities to support our target to halve methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) blood stream infections (bacteraemias) by March 2008.
	A recent key initiative in June 2005 was the launch of Saving Lives", which brings many of the programme's activities together to provide trusts with a tool to implement best practice and reduce infection rates. Other recent projects include the launch in September 2005 of new e-learning tools for all national health service staff and in October, enhancement of the MRSA surveillance system.

NICE Guidance

Paul Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what estimates have been made by the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) of (a) the gross costs of implementing NICE guidance and (b) the number of patients benefiting from such implementation, broken down by disease category.

Jane Kennedy: This is a matter for the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE).
	The Department publishes an assessment of the cost of implementing NICE's guidance in the public expenditure inquiry. In 2005, the total cost of implementing NICE's guidance to date was estimated to be £836 million.
	The Department estimates that some tens of thousands of patients have benefited from NICE's guidance.

Parliamentary Questions

Anne McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for Health when she expects to reply to the question tabled by the hon. Member for Vale of York on 25 October 2005, ref 22789; and what representations she has received on the mammogram reading at St Margaret's Hospital, Epping.

Rosie Winterton: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave on 8 November 2005, Official Report, column 389W. Since the hon. Member's question, I have received one representation on the reading of mammograms at St. Margaret's hospital in Epping.

Pesticides

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps she is taking to disseminate information on toxicological impacts of pesticides on human beings; and what monitoring and reporting mechanisms are in place.

Caroline Flint: The Department works closely with other Government Departments and agencies on matters related to the toxicological impacts of pesticides on humans. Information on toxicological impacts of pesticides is widely available to the public. Evaluation documents are published on the Advisory Committee on Pesticides (ACP) website, and such information is published in the ACP annual report. Information is also available from the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA).
	The Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs' pesticides safety directorate (PSD) carries out a yearly survey into all human health incidents reported to approvals holders for amateur and professional pesticide products by users. The results of this survey are published on the PSD website at www.pesticides.gov.uk/home.asp. Any potential exposures to pesticides should be reported to the Health and Safety Executive (HSE), who will investigate complaints involving ill health arising because of a work activity. Once an investigation is complete, details of investigated cases are sent for examination to the HSE's Pesticides Incident Appraisal Panel (PIAP). PIAP reviews all the reports and publishes its conclusions in an annual report that is reviewed by the ACP. The Department of Health has an assessor on the ACP.
	Following recommendations of the recent report by the Royal Commission on Environmental Pollution on Crop spraying and the health of residents and bystanders" the Government will be reviewing these arrangements.

Podiatry

John Baron: To ask the Secretary of State for Healthhow many podiatry services there are in England broken down by (a) primary care trust and (b) hospital setting.

Liam Byrne: holding answer 10 November 2005
	The information requested is not collected centrally. However, all primary care trusts will commission these services to meet the needs of their local population.

Prostate Cancer

Andrew Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps she is taking to raise awareness of the prostate specific antigen (PSA) test for prostate cancer among men; and how many PSA tests have been carried out in each year since 1997.

Rosie Winterton: The NHS Prostate Cancer Programme, launched in September 2000, set out the Government's commitment to improve early detection of prostate cancer. The prostate cancer risk management programme (PCRMP) has been set up to ensure that all men considering a test for prostate cancer are given information on the benefits, limitations and risks associated with having a prostate specific antigen (PSA) test.
	Raising public awareness of prostate cancer is one of the key challenges for the future. We want men to know what their prostate is, what it does and what can go wrong with it. However we have to raise public awareness in a responsible way so as not to cause undue anxiety and worry. Thanks to the work of the prostate cancer advisory group we now have, for the first time, a definitive set of key messages for the general public about the prostate gland, including prostate cancer. The key messages have been agreed by 20 organisations, including charities, patient groups and professional bodies as well as the Department.
	On 31 October, we announced a joint venture to pilot raising awareness of the prostate using the key messages in a primary care trust area. The effectiveness of the intervention will be fully evaluated, along with the impact on local health services. £100,000 is being provided by the Government, with the remaining £50,000 being provided by signatories to the prostate cancer charter for action. The pilot is due to begin in spring 2006.
	We have provided funding for the following organisations to increase public awareness of prostate cancer:
	In 2003–04, we provided £30,000 to the men's health forum to help fund their publication the Men and Cancer Manual";
	We have provided £135,000 to the Prostate Cancer Charity to increase available information about prostate cancer;
	We are providing £105,000 to the Prostate Cancer Charity to improve awareness of the risks and symptoms of prostate cancer in African and Afro-Caribbean men in Britain;
	We have worked with the prostate cancer charter for action to develop UK Prostate Link, a unique information source for men with prostate cancer, their families and health professionals. UK Prostate Link was launched on 3 November 2005, and is available at: http://prostate-link.org.uk/. £100,000 is being provided by the Government, with the remaining £50,000 being provided by signatories to the prostate cancer charter for action.
	The number of PSA tests carried out each year is not collected centrally. However, research funded by the Department and carried out by the cancer screening evaluation unit, Institute of Cancer Research, has shown that the overall rate of PSA testing increased significantly from 1999 to 2002. The number of PSA requests submitted by participating laboratories rose by 42 per cent.

Scans (Poole)

Annette Brooke: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  what the waiting time is for (a) an urgent scan and (b) a non-urgent scan at Poole NHS Trust;
	(2)  what the average waiting time is for (a) an urgent scan and (b) a non-urgent scan in each NHS hospital in England.

Caroline Flint: holding answer 21 November 2005
	Waiting time data for diagnostic scans are not currently collected centrally. A new diagnostic data collection will be rolled out nationally from January 2006 to support delivery of the 2008 18-week target. This will not, however, enable a distinction between waiting times for urgent and non-urgent scans to be made.

School Nurses

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps are being taken to recruit school nurses.

Liam Byrne: The Department is committed to providing new funding so that by 2010, every primary care trust, working with children's trusts and local authorities, will be resourced to have at least one full-time, year-round, qualified school nurse working with each cluster or group of primary schools and the related secondary school.
	The Department understands that school nurses have an important and central role to play in tackling health issues among children and younger people, such as obesity, exercise, smoking prevention and cessation and sexual and emotional health.
	The Chief Nursing Officer is leading the development and promotion of a new modern role for school nurses, and many school nurses are already modernising their roles and playing a key role in initiatives such as healthy schools, and preventing teenage pregnancy. The NHS Improvement Plan and the nursing strategy Making a Difference' also point towards an expanded role for school nurses, and a three-year school nurse development programme is currently being updated to ensure school nurses remain a dynamic workforce who are able to contribute to good outcomes for children and young people.

School Nurses

Nick Gibb: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many school nurses there are in England.

Liam Byrne: As at 30 September 2004, there were 2,409 qualified nurses working in school nursing employed in the national health service in England.

Sign Language

Nigel Waterson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  how much of her Department's budget in 2005–06 is dedicated to funding training in sign language and lip reading;
	(2)  what measures she is taking to ensure that the NHS delivers specialist support to those who became severely or profoundly deaf after the age of 16 years.

Liam Byrne: This information is not held centrally.
	It is the responsibility of the national health service and local authorities to determine how best to provide services for people with hearing impairments. This includes resource allocation for training staff in appropriate means of communication and specialist support services.

Social Care Services

Andrew Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will commission research on the cost-effectiveness of providing preventative social care services.

Liam Byrne: The Department's partnerships for older people projects initiative is making available ring-fenced funding of £20 million in 2006–07 and £40 million in 2007–08 to council-led partnerships to establish and test innovative approaches to preventative social and healthcare services. These will be subject to comprehensive evaluation at a local and national level and will become operational on 1 May 2006. The national evaluation will start at the same time as the partnerships pilots and will run for two and half years. Its findings will be integral to the Government's aim of developing an evidence base to support preventative approaches to care for older people.

Southport and Ormskirk Hospital Trust

Rosie Cooper: To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether she expects there will be further ward closures at Southport and Ormskirk hospital trust sites in the next 12 months.

Liam Byrne: This is a matter for the Southport and Ormskirk hospital national health service trust to determine in partnership with local stakeholders.

Sudan One

Mark Williams: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will list the scientific studies which informed her Department's decision to remove Sudan One from the market.

Caroline Flint: holding answer 16 November 2005
	Sudan One is an illegal substance that is not permitted to be used in food. Under the General Food Law (EC Regulation 178/2002) the food industry has a legal responsibility to withdraw and recall all products known to be contaminated with such substances and to inform consumers.
	The decision to recall products containing the dye Sudan One from the market was informed by a risk assessment agreed by the chairs of the independent expert Committees on Toxicity, Mutagenicity and Carcinogenicity of Chemicals in Food, Consumer Products and the Environment.
	The risk assessment concluded that, based on the available data, it was prudent to assume that Sudan One is a genotoxic carcinogen. The risk assessment, including a list of the scientific studies on which it is based, was published in the 2003 annual report for the three committees.

Your Health, Your Care, Your Say

Michael Penning: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many members of the public from the Hemel Hempstead area have been selected to take part in the Your Health, Your Care, Your Say" consultation exercise.

Rosie Winterton: Regional events were held in Gateshead, Leicester, London and Plymouth and a citizen's summit was held in Birmingham. None of the participants selected were from Hemel Hempstead.
	On 4 November, 147 feedback forms had been received from local consultation events. In addition, over 18,000 on-line questionnaires had been completed and approximately 15,500 hard copies of the questionnaires had been returned. It is possible that participants from Hemel Hempstead may have taken part in these local events or completed the on-line or hard copy form of the questionnaire.

CULTURE MEDIA AND SPORT

Active People Survey

Don Foster: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how much (a) statutory funding and (b) National Lottery funding Sport England plans to spend on the Active People survey; and if she will make a statement.

Richard Caborn: pursuant to the reply, 31 October 2005, Official Report, c. 525W
	I regret that my previous answer on how the costs of the Active People survey will be met was incorrect. It should read as follows:
	The £2 million annual cost over three years of the Active People survey will be apportioned by approximately (a) £1.1 million of Exchequer funding and (b) £0.9 million of Sport England Lottery funding. Sport England will review the apportionment annually.

Arts Council England

Diane Abbott: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport which black artistic (a) companies, (b) projects and (c) individuals received Arts Council England funding for theatre in 2004–05.

David Lammy: The table supplied by Arts Council England provides a breakdown of the information requested.
	
		Regularly funded organisation funding for BME led organisations 2004–05
		
			  £ 
		
		
			 Emma Wolukau Wanambwa Ms 16,000 
			 Francesca Beard 16,000 
			 Kali Theatre Company 131,500 
			 Nitro 230,000 
			 Talawa Theatre Company 463,989 
			 Tamasha Theatre Company 255,625 
			 Tara Arts Croup Ltd 333,125 
			 Theatre Royal Stratford East 768,493 
			 Tiata Fahodzi 131,500 
			 Yellow Earth Theatre 131,500 
			 Peshkar Productions 47,500 
			 Rasa Productions 30,000 
			 Diversity NTCs 60,000 
			 Black Arts Development Project 47,500 
			 Total 2,662.732 
			 Funding for strategic initiatives  
			 Black Regional Initiative in Theatre 310,000 
			 Eclipse Theatre 110,000 
			 Total 420,000 
			   
			 Grants for the arts BME individuals  
			 Individuals 297,557 
			 Organisations 18,756 
			 Touring 70,939 
			 Total 387,252 
			   
			 Grants for the arts BME Organisations  
			 Organisations 514,334 
			 Touring 166,515 
			 Total 680,849 
			   
			 Other regularly funded organisations that are BME focussed  
			 Arcola 32,500 
			 Arts Depot 32,500 
			 Croydon Clocktower 32,500 
			 Greenwich and Lewisham Young Peoples Theatre 13,527 
			 Hackney Empire Ltd 253,305 
			 New Peckham Varieties 48,000 
			 Oval House Theatre 245,000 
			 Tricycle Theatre Company 648,978 
			 Total 1,306,310 
			   
			 Total 5,457,143

BBC Licence Fee

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State forCulture, Media and Sport how many complaints have been received regarding the BBC's latest proposals to increase the licence fee; and if she will make a statement.

James Purnell: My Department regularly receives correspondence relating to the television licence fee. Since the BBC's announcement on 11 October 2005 we have received approximately 60 items of correspondence regarding the BBC's own assessment of its future funding needs. The Government are currently conducting a review of BBC funding to determine the future level of the licence fee and will make an announcement in due course.

BBC Licence Fee

David Gauke: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport 
	(1)  what representations the Government have received from the BBC requesting that the application of the BBC television licence fee be extended to premises which do not have a television but which have access to the internet;
	(2)  what consideration the Government have given to extending the application of the BBC television licence fee to premises which do not have a television but which have access to the internet.

James Purnell: The Government have received no such representations from the BBC. However, the BBC, as television licensing authority, considers that the current definition of a television receiver in the licence fee regulations already extends to a PC that is used to watch television programme services over the internet, if they are received at the same time or virtually the same time as they are received elsewhere by conventional means.
	The Government have no plans for any changes to the current arrangements but, as indicated in the BBC Charter Review Green Paper published in March 2005, believes that changes to the existing funding model might have to be considered if in future large numbers of people are downloading audio-visual content from the internet and watching it on their computers or mobile phones, rather than using traditional TV services.

BBC Licence Fee

Grant Shapps: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many people have black and white television licences.

James Purnell: As of March 2005, there were 58,000 black and white television licences in force.

BBC Licence Fee

Gregory Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what the additional cost to the public purse would be of reducing the age at which a free television licence can be obtained to 65 years.

James Purnell: holding answer 21 November 2005
	The estimated additional cost of extending free television licences to all households with a person aged 65 or over would be £443 million a year, based on the current licence fee level.

BBC Licence Fee

William McCrea: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many television licences have been issued in each constituency in Northern Ireland in each year since 2001.

James Purnell: TV Licensing, who administer the television licensing system as agents for the BBC, do not record the number of licences issued by constituency. Data by nation and region are estimated from United Kingdom figures and is available only for the last four years. The estimated number of licences issued in Northern Ireland in each of the last four years are as follows:
	
		
			 Year ending 31 March Number of licences issued 
		
		
			 2005 585,137 
			 2004 566,739 
			 2003 546,429 
			 2002 525,812

BBC/Commercial Radio

Derek Wyatt: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many written representations her Department has received since 1 October from hon. Members concerning commercial radio and the review of the BBC Charter.

Tessa Jowell: holding answer 21 November 2005
	Since 1 October, my Department has received 27 letters from hon. Members concerning commercial radio and the review of the BBC Charter.

Departmental Contracts (Direct Mail)

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many contracts were signed by her Department in (a) 2005–06 to date and (b) 2004–05 for direct mail; and what the value was in each case.

David Lammy: DCMS has not placed any contracts for direct mail in either; (a) 2005–06 or (b) 2004–05.

Departmental Salaries

Michael Penning: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if she will list the 10 highest-paid employees in her Department, broken down by (a) job title and (b) salary including bonuses; and whether the individual concerned is (i) a civil servant and (ii) a contractor in each case.

David Lammy: The information requested is published annually in the Department for Culture, Media and Sport Resource Accounts. The most recently published accounts for 2004–05 were laid before the House of Commons on 19 October 2005 and copies placed in the Libraries of the House.

Digital Television

David Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what steps she is taking to ensure that (a) disabled and (b) elderly viewers will be able to meet the costs of the television switchover from analogue to digital.

James Purnell: My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State plans for a support scheme to provide help with equipment and installation and follow-up support for people aged 75 years and over and people with significant disabilities.
	Assistance will consist of providing the necessary equipment to convert one TV set and the relevant support to install and use the equipment. The help will be available free of charge for those within the eligible groups on low incomes, and at a modest fee for others. Further details of how the scheme will operate in practice are being developed and will be set out in due course.

Digital Television

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what her most recent estimate is of the date by which households across Coventry, South constituency will be able to receive digital terrestrial broadcasts.

James Purnell: My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State has confirmed the regional timetable for digital switchover; it will take place between 2008 and 2012 by ITV region in the following order:
	
		
			  ITV region 
		
		
			 2008 Border 
			 2009 West Country, HTV Wales, Granada 
			 2010 HTV West, Grampian, Scottish Television 
			 2011 Yorkshire, Anglia, Central 
			 2012 Meridian, Carlton/LWT (London), Tyne Tees, Ulster 
		
	
	Note:
	Further details can be found at www.digitaltelevision.gov.uk
	Digital switchover will enable coverage for digital terrestrial television to reach the same level as that of the current analogue signals. It will take place in the Coventry South constituency (central region) in 2011.

Free Television Licences

Jim Sheridan: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many people over 75 years in Paisley and Renfrewshire, North constituency receive free television licences.

James Purnell: TV Licensing, who administer free television licences for people aged 75 or over as agents for the BBC, are not able to provide geographical breakdowns of the number of free licences issued. However, the number of households with at least one person aged 75 or over claiming the winter fuel payment in the Paisley and Renfrewshire, North constituency in 2004–05 was 2,960, according to Department for Work and Pensions records.

Licence Fee-funded Programmes

Derek Wyatt: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if she will take steps to ensure that all programmes funded through the BBC licence fee are made available free of charge only to UK citizens.

James Purnell: holding answer 21 November 2005
	The Government has no plans to take such steps. We do not believe it is practicable or desirable to make British citizenship a criterion for reception of BBC programmes.

Ministerial Travel

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many air miles were accrued through departmental ministerial travel in 2004–05, broken down by Minister; how many were (a) foregone and (b) donated to charity, broken down by charity; and whether air miles accrued by officials were required to be (i) foregone and (ii) given to charity.

Tessa Jowell: I have accrued 49,908 air miles from Ministerial, travel in 2004–05.
	No air miles were accrued by other Ministers.
	Ministerial travel is conducted in accordance with the Ministerial Code and Travel by Ministers. Guidance for Ministers on the use of air miles is set out in the Ministerial Code. The guidance makes clear that air miles should be used only for official purposes or else foregone. However, if it is impracticable to use the benefits for Government travel, there is no objection to Ministers donating them to charity of these is permissible under the terms of the airline's scheme and the charity is one chosen by the airline.
	Similar rules are in place for officials.
	My air miles were collected in order that they will go towards helping young athletes with their travel costs.

Ministerial Visits

Michael Penning: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many times she has visited (a) Dacorum and (b) Hertfordshire in her official capacity in the last 12 months; and what the purpose was of each visit.

Tessa Jowell: During the last 12 months I have not visited Dacorum but have visited Hertfordshire twice. Details are in the following table.
	
		
			  Venue Purpose 
		
		
			 25 June 2005 Hockerill anglo- European College, Bishops Stortford Speech to school leavers 
			 20 October 2005 Richard Hale School, Hertford To view the school sports facilities

National Lottery

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what lottery funding is available for grass root sports clubs in the west midlands region.

Richard Caborn: The following amounts of lottery money have been made available to grass root sports clubs in the West Midlands region in this financial year: £3,000,000 from the Community Investment Fund; £500,000 for the Football Foundation and £400,000 through the Awards for All scheme. Active England, which funds a range of projects benefiting grass root sports clubs, will also have invested £10,100,000 in the West Midlands region over the period 2002–03 to 2005–06.

National Lottery

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what the value has been to date of national lottery grant applications made by organisations in Southend-on-Sea; how many lottery grant applications have been made by organisations in Southend-on-Sea; and how many lottery grant applications in Southend-on-Sea have been approved.

Richard Caborn: This Department has never collected comprehensive information on either the number or value of applications for lottery grants received by the distributing bodies.
	Since the start of the lottery there have been 330 awards made in Southend-on-Sea borough council area. This information is derived from the Department's lottery award database, searchable at www.lottery.culture.gov.uk, which uses information supplied by the lottery distributors.

National Lottery

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how much has been paid out in grants from lottery funds to organisations in Southend-on-Sea (a) in cash terms and (b) as a percentage of the Essex total.

Richard Caborn: Since the start of the lottery, £12.4 million of lottery money has been awarded in the Southend-on-Sea borough council area. This is 5.2 per cent. of the total awarded in Essex (£237.9 million). It is not possible to provide a geographical breakdown of lottery payments.
	This information is derived from the Department's lottery award database, searchable at www.lottery.culture.gov.uk, which uses information supplied by the lottery distributors.

National Lottery

Laurence Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many (a) lottery bids have been submitted by and (b) grants have been awarded to organisations in each of the six constituencies in Gloucestershire in each year for which figures are available; and what the size of the grant was in each case.

Richard Caborn: The Department does not hold information on Lottery applications. There have been almost 2,000 awards in the six parliamentary constituencies in Gloucestershire. The number, and total value, of awards in each constituency in each year are given in the following tables. The information is derived from the Lottery Awards Database, which uses information supplied by the lottery distributors.
	
		
			  Cheltenham Cotswold Forest of Dean 
			  Number Total value (£) Number Total value (£) Number Total value (£) 
		
		
			 1995 4 208,717 10 358,220 6 531,153 
			 1996 10 1,451,193 13 10,430,926 13 1,227,077 
			 1997 22 1,004,365 43 1,256,776 48 1,397,153 
			 1998 9 852,942 12 1,098,058 23 1,175,147 
			 1999 36 3,625,952 44 832,392 45 1,088,138 
			 2000 20 7,438,498 43 4,764,487 53 1,134,327 
			 2001 17 1,732,959 28 2,267,738 45 2,023,991 
			 2002 33 3,979,000 33 1,234,659 36 401,110 
			 2003 28 1,197,496 34 1,304,514 25 771,335 
			 2004 23 847,168 51 756,040 49 508,373 
			 2005(4) 30 394,628 34 738,345 40 585,507 
		
	
	(4) To date.
	
		
			  Gloucester Stroud Tewkesbury 
			  Number Total value (£) Number Total value (£) Number Total value (£) 
		
		
			 1995 10 651,835 10 3,885,571 2 78,070 
			 1996 24 2,376,440 15 1,663,932 6 250,606 
			 1997 34 2,283,390 47 2,764,938 25 393,461 
			 1998 14 11,793,132 22 600,462 13 181,060 
			 1999 34 4,026,720 42 478,857 21 992,878 
			 2000 48 3,959,910 41 239,452 34 385,633 
			 2001 50 5,655,644 32 144,160 18 602,663 
			 2002 53 2,081,479 33 414,524 25 433,676 
			 2003 46 2,048,119 26 579,144 16 1,441,736 
			 2004 46 1,188,690 48 12,614,485 33 629,905 
			 2005(5) 50 1,941,306 43 442,960 32 255,072 
		
	
	(5) To date.

Non-departmental Public Bodies

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if she will list those of her Department's advisory non-departmental public bodies which the Government are required (a) to consult prior to legislative proposals and (b) to publish their response to advice from.

David Lammy: The Government are not required to consult prior to legislative proposals or to publish their response to advice in respect of any of the advisory non-departmental public bodies for which the Department for Culture, Media and Sport has responsibility.

Non-departmental Public Bodies

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport which of the advisory non-departmental public bodies sponsored by her Department have a statutory base; which (a) publish their advice to Government, (b) publish an annual report and (c) lay an annual report before Parliament; and whether it is under a statutory requirement in each instance.

David Lammy: My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State has a statutory responsibility to publish and lay before Parliament an annual report on the operation of the Treasure Act, and this includes information which arises from recommendations made by the Treasure Valuation Committee (TVC). However, the committee does not have a statutory base or statutory requirement to publish its advice to Government.
	There is no statutory base or statutory requirement to publish advice to Government, publish an annual report or to lay an annual report before Parliament, for any of the other advisory non-departmental public bodies for which the Department for Culture, Media and Sport has responsibility.

Non-departmental Public Bodies

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport which of the advisory non-departmental public bodies sponsored by her Department (a) hold public meetings, (b) conduct public consultation exercises, (c) conduct consultation exercises with outside commercial interests, (d) publish a register of members' interests, (e) publish agendas for meetings and (f) publish the minutes of meetings; and whether it is under a statutory requirement in each case.

David Lammy: The information is as follows.
	Advisory Committee on Historic Wreck Sites (ACHWS)
	English Heritage, which provides administrative support to the Advisory Committee on Historic Wreck Sites (ACHWS), compiles a register of members' interests in relation to the ACHWS which is available to the public on request. The agendas and minutes of ACHWS meetings are not published but are available on request. The intention is to publish them on the internet in future.
	ACHWS do not hold public meetings, conduct public consultation exercises or conduct consultation exercises with outside commercial interests. There is no statutory requirement to perform any of the functions outlined in this question.
	Advisory Committee on the Government Art Collection
	The Advisory Committee on the Government Art Collection publishes abridged versions of minutes. These can be found at www.gac.culture.gov.uk. The Advisory Committee on the Government Art Collection do not hold public meetings, conduct public consultation exercises, conduct consultation exercises with outside commercial interests, publish a register of members' interests or publish agendas for meetings. There is no statutory requirement to perform any of the functions outlined in this question.
	Advisory Council on Libraries
	The Advisory Council on Libraries (ACL) publishes a briefing report (summary of the minutes of meetings) on the Department for Culture, Media and Sport's website.
	ACL do not hold public meetings, conduct public consultation exercises, conduct consultation exercises with outside commercial interests, publish a register of members' interests or publish agendas for meetings. There is no statutory requirement to perform any of the functions outlined in this question.
	Casino Advisory Panel
	The Casino Advisory Panel is still considering how it will go about making its recommendations to the Secretary of State. However, it will be expected to consult as widely as possible in formulating its recommendations—this is likely to include the conducting of public consultation exercises and consultation exercises with outside commercial interests.
	The panel will make available a register of members' interests on request and plans to publish its meeting agenda and minutes. There is no statutory requirement for the panel to do any of these tasks.
	Legal Deposit Advisory Panel
	The Legal Deposit Advisory Panel conducts consultation exercises with outside commercial interests. A register of members' interests is not published; however, there is a register which is open to the public (who can call the Department and request to view it).
	The panel has only held one meeting so far and the minutes of the meeting have not been published. It is considering publishing summarised minutes on the DCMS website but has not agreed this with the chair of the panel yet. The panel do not hold public meetings, conduct public consultation exercises, conduct consultation exercises with outside commercial interests or publish agendas for meetings. There is no statutory requirement to perform any of the functions outlined in this question.
	Reviewing Committee on the Export of Works of Art
	A register of Reviewing Committee on the Export of Works of Art (RCEWA) members' interests is held by its secretariat and details can be obtained from the secretariat at the Museums, Libraries and Archives Council. Minutes of RCEWA policy discussions and case hearings held since 1 January 2005 are published on the Museums, Libraries and Archives Council's website.
	RCEWA do not hold public meetings, conduct public consultation exercises, conduct consultation exercises with outside commercial interests or publish agendas for its meetings. There is no statutory requirement to perform any of the functions outlined in this question.
	Spoliation Advisory Panel
	The Spoliation Advisory Panel does not hold public meetings or conduct public consultation exercises or consultation exercises with outside commercial interests, though it does consult individuals and organisations as part of its evidence gathering.
	It does not publish a register of members' interests, agendas for meetings or minutes of meetings. There is no statutory requirement to perform any of the functions outlined in this question.
	Treasure Valuation Committee (TVC)
	The Treasure Valuation Committee has in the past accepted requests for non- members to attend its meetings. There is no statutory requirement to publish the minutes of the meeting, but it is part of the DCMS publication scheme that a record of each meeting should be published on the DCMS website.
	TVC do not conduct public consultation exercises, conduct consultation exercises with outside commercial interests, publish a register of members' interests or publish agendas for meetings. There is no statutory requirement to perform any of the functions outlined in this question.

Olympic Delivery Authority

Theresa May: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport who was involved in setting the (a) person specification and (b) job description for the job of chief executive of the Olympic Delivery Authority.

Tessa Jowell: The person specification and job description for the chief executive of the Olympic Delivery Authority were agreed by me following consultation with the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister, the Greater London authority, the London Organising Committee of the Olympic Games and the London boroughs of Hackney, Newham and Tower Hamlets. In addition to this specific consultation, more general consultation has also taken place with the organisers of previous games.

Olympic Games

Hugh Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what the budget of the Nations and Regions Group for the London 2012 Olympics is; and how (a) Essex and (b) Kent will be dealt with by the Group.

Tessa Jowell: holding answer 7 November 2005
	The Nations and Regions Group met on 4 November to discuss how best to co-ordinate UK-wide interests in staging the 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games, and will meet again early next year to confirm its remit and membership. Any budgetary requirements would need to be considered as part of those discussions.
	Each English region has, or is putting place, a regional group responsible for taking work forward and reporting to the Regions and Nations Group. They will include representatives from Regional Development Agencies (RDAs), Regional Sports Boards and other relevant stakeholders. Under this arrangement, Kent would be dealt with through the South East Group, and Essex through the East of England Group.
	The RDAs will of course play a vital role in this work,and we will write to them shortly to ask them to develop plans to maximise business and development opportunities offered by the 2012 Olympics in their region.
	Among other areas of potential benefit they will wish to consider is the opportunity to host preparation and holding camps for overseas teams. The London Organising Committee for the Olympic Games (LOCOG) and the British Olympic Association (BOA), will develop a Pre-Training Guide by 2008, which will include details of facilities appropriate for use as preparation or training camps. They will work closely with regional representatives to maximise opportunities across the UK.

Olympic Games

Theresa May: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what plans her Department has to appoint representatives at a regional level to ensure that each region in the United Kingdom has access to advice on making the most of business and development opportunities offered by the 2012 Olympics.

Tessa Jowell: The Nations and Region Group, chaired by Charles Allen, met on 4 November to discuss ways to co-ordinate UK wide interests in staging the 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games. The Group will meet again early next year to confirm its remit and membership.
	In the meantime, each of the English Regions, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland have established, or are putting in place, regional working groups tasked with taking work forward. Regional groups will involve the Regional Development Agencies (RDAs) and appropriate representatives from Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland. The RDAs will of course play a vital role, and we will write to them shortly to ask them to develop plans to maximise business arid development opportunities offered by the 2012 Olympics in their region.
	Among other areas of potential benefit they will wish to consider is the opportunity to host preparation and holding camps for overseas teams. The London Organising Committee for the Olympic Games (LOCOG) and the British Olympic Association (BOA), will develop a Pre-Training Guide by 2008, which will include details of facilities appropriate for use as preparation or training camps. They will work closely with regional representatives to maximise opportunities across the UK.

Olympic Games

Theresa May: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what criteria (a) the London Development Agency and (b) Transport for London will use to decide which companies will be awarded contracts in relation to the requirements of the Olympic Park; and whether British companies will be given (i) preference and (ii) assistance by the Government when bidding for those contracts.

Tessa Jowell: The London Development Agency (LDA) and Transport for London are only letting critical contracts in advance of the establishment of the Olympic Delivery Authority. The contracts will be let on the basis of a number of objective criteria, including cost, quality and capacity to deliver.
	The interim Olympic Delivery Authority (interim ODA) is preparing a draft procurement strategy addressing the key criteria that need to be defined to ensure a successful project. The initial draft is expected to be published in December. The interim ODA has already published 'Procurement Principles' setting out its commitment to sustainability, design quality, local benefits, regeneration, legacy use and best value for money.
	In accordance with European Union procurement regulation, no preference can be given to UK companies, but the Government will work with the LDA and other public agencies to ensure that UK companies can compete effectively for these contracts and that UK people have the best possible chance of seeing the thousands of jobs that will be created.

Olympic Games

Theresa May: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what plans she has to (a) meet officials in charge of delivering previous Olympic games and (b) visit (i) Beijing, (ii) Athens, (iii) Atlanta, (iv) Barcelona, (v) Seoul, (vi) Los Angeles, (vii) Moscow and (viii) Montreal.

Tessa Jowell: During the bid phase, the Minister for Sport and Tourism and I visited previous host cities—specifically Athens, Sydney, Barcelona and Beijing.
	We drew heavily on the experience of the Sydney games in developing the bid and will continue to draw on the experience of previous host cities as we move forward to hosting the games.

Olympic Games

Hugh Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport pursuant to the evidence from the Chief Executive of the British Olympic Association to the Culture, Media and Sport Select Committee on 1 November, which voting members of the British Olympic Association were contacted by (a) Sport England and (b) the English Institute of Sport in connection with the recent election of the new Chairman of the British Olympic Association.

Richard Caborn: holding answer 11 November 2005
	I would refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave him on 14 October 2005, Official Report, column 605W, where I confirmed that no member of Sport England has discussed the election to the Chairmanship of the British Olympic Association (BOA) with either candidates for the post, potential candidates for the post nor voting members of the BOA.
	The identity of the NOC member referred to in my answer of 7 November 2005, Official Report, column 157W, is Mr. Graham Bell, the representative of Snowsport Great Britain. I understand that the Chair of the English Institute of Sport (EIS) contacted him to establish whether he was prepared to take a call from a prospective candidate and that he communicated with both in his capacity as a personal friend, and not in his capacity as EIS chair. I understand that at no stage was any attempt made to influence the election of the new chair of the BOA.

Olympic Lottery

Pete Wishart: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what Lottery funding is available for grass root sports clubs; and what assessment she has made of the effect on grass root sports clubs of the Olympic funding arrangements.

Richard Caborn: holding answer 11 November 2005
	Information on the Lottery funding available for grass roots sports clubs in England is provided in the table. Information on the Lottery funding available for grass roots sports clubs in Scotland, Northern Ireland and Wales can be obtained from the Scottish Executive, the Northern Ireland Office and the National Assembly for Wales.
	Sport England's business Plan for the next four years identifies a number of Lottery programs that are available to Grass Roots sports clubs either directly or through the National Governing Bodies. The total amount of Lottery funding into those programs amounts to £440.9 million and comprises:
	
		
			  £ 
		
		
			 Football Youth Development Project 13,112 
			 Safer Sports Grounds 1,373 
			 UK Athletics 20,000 
			 Community Athletics Refurbishment Program 4,289 
			 National Governing Bodies (Whole Sport Plans) 137,899 
			 Active Communities Development Fund 6,093 
			 Sport Action Zones 2,878 
			 Awards for All 26,400 
			 Community Capital Projects 61,958 
			 Community Investment Fund—Active England 101,682 
			 Community Investment Fund—Open Interventions 65,246 
			 Total (£ million) 440.9 
		
	
	We have been quite clear since launching our Olympic bid three years ago that Lottery proceeds would form a key part of the public funding package. We have allowed for up to £1.5 billion to be raised in this way, some of which will be raised by new Lottery games solely for this purpose. We expect the non-Olympic good causes to receive up to 5 per cent. less in income, as a result of sales diversion, over the eight-year period from 2005 to 2013. In addition, up to £410 million will be redirected from the proceeds of non-Olympic Lottery games after 2009.

Olympic Lottery Games

Pete Wishart: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what assessment she has made of the (a) income raised by and (b) popularity of the first Olympic scratchcard.

Tessa Jowell: Camelot Group plc has informed us that the Go for Gold scratchcard has been the fastest selling £1 scratchcard of 60 such cards launched since November 2002. Camelot considers that the income raised to date is in line with its estimates for Olympic lottery sales in the initial stages of what is a seven-year plan to raise £750 million towards our overall Olympics funding package.

Olympic Lottery Games

Pete Wishart: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what assessment she has made of the impact of the new Olympic scratchcard on other lottery games.

Tessa Jowell: It is too early to make an accurate assessment of the impact of the new Go for Gold scratchcard on other national lottery games. Our long-term aim is to grow lottery sales overall—with a view to maximising returns to the good causes from both national lottery and Olympic lottery games. That aim is shared with the National Lottery Commission (the lottery regulator) and is subject to our other, shared overriding statutory duties, namely to ensure that the national lottery is run with due propriety and that the interests of all players are protected.

Olympic Lottery Games

Pete Wishart: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport whether her Department has undertaken an analysis of sales of the new Olympic scratchcard by (a) geographical region and (b) age.

Tessa Jowell: holding answer 10 November 2005
	My Department has not undertaken any specific analysis of sales by either region or age of players. Such matters are for the operator, Camelot Group plc, to consider at an appropriate time, if it believes that they would help it maximise income for the Olympics good cause. However, I am aware that the Go for Gold scratchcard has been very widely distributed across the UK and that initial sales have been very good.

Predictive Diallers

John Hemming: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many calls were made from call centres in her Department in 2004–05 using predictive diallers; how many such calls resulted in contact being made with the recipient without a Government agent available to talk to them; and what assessment she has made of the likely impact of Ofcom's policy on silent calls on the use of predictive diallers in departmental call centres.

David Lammy: My Department does not operate any call centres.

Tourism

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what steps are being taken (a) to encourage tourism and (b) to improve tourist facilities in (i) Havering and (ii) Essex.

James Purnell: My Department allocates £50 million grant in aid to VisitBritain each year to market Britain overseas and England domestically. This activity benefits all parts of the country including Havering and Essex.
	The Department allocates grant in aid of £1.9 million to the Greater London authority to support the Mayor in his lead responsibility for tourism in London. One of the Mayor's priorities in this area is the dispersal of visitors throughout all parts of the capital. Havering will benefit from the new East London tourism development strategy, key strands of which include the development of markets, products, sector skills and the encouragement of greater entrepreneurship.
	This work has been given new impetus and the profile of East London raised by winning the competition to stage the 2012 Olympic and Paralympic games. A new pan-London Tourism vision and action plan are currently in development to ensure that benefits derived from tourism are maximised.
	My Department also allocates grant-in-aid of £3.6 million to the regional development agencies for tourism support, including the East of England Development Agency. This contributes to the work of organisations such as the Essex Development and Regeneration Agency, which promotes Essex as a tourism destination.

ENVIRONMENT FOOD AND RURAL AFFAIRS

Animal Boarding

Stephen McCabe: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs 
	(1)  how many (a) fines and (b) terms of imprisonment have been imposed on dog and cat home boarders found guilty of operating without a licence under the Animal Boarding Establishment Act 1963 in the last 12 months, broken down by local authority area;
	(2)  how many dog and cat home boarders have been found to be operating without a licence under the Animal Boarding Establishment Act 1963 in the last 12 months, broken down by local authority area.

Ben Bradshaw: There were no convictions in England and Wales during 2004 for offences under Section 1 (8) of the Animal Boarding Establishments Act 1963 relating to the licensing and inspection of boarding establishment to ensure the welfare of animals, although two separate proceeding were taken forward during this period.

Animal Exhibitions

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what criteria are being applied to establishments exhibiting animals to decide which fall outside of the terms of Article 2 of the Zoo Directive 1999/22/EC.

Jim Knight: My Department publishes guidance on the criteria which are used to determine whether establishments exhibiting wild animals can be granted exemption from the Zoo Licensing Act 1981 (and hence from Directive 1999/22/EC in accordance with Article 2). These criteria are set out in Annex D of Circular 02/2003 (as amended by more recent guidance on llama and alpaca). The circular and updated guidance can be found at http://www.defra.gov.uk/wildlife-countryside/gwd/zoo.htm.
	The criteria were developed with advice from the Zoos Forum, the Government's advisory body on zoo licensing matters. Each application is considered on its merits, along with advice from zoo inspectors, and some flexibility may be applied if there are other relevant considerations.

Batteries

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what percentage of batteries was recycled in the most recent year for which figures are available.

Ben Bradshaw: A study for the Department for Trade and Industry (DTI), carried out by consultants in 2000, estimated that the recycling rate for spent automotive and industrial batteries in 2003 would be around 90 per cent. of arisings. Data collected more recently indicate that less than 2 per cent. of spent portable batteries are currently being recycled.

Beef

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what the timetable is for ending the EU ban on British beef.

Ben Bradshaw: The European Commission has acknowledged that the essential preconditions for lifting the EU export ban have been fulfilled. We are now awaiting proposals from the Commission for legislation to lift the ban. Such proposals would have to be submitted to EU Member States to consider in the Standing Committee for the Food Chain and Animal Health (SCoFCAH). If the Member States were to vote in favour of the proposals in SCoFCAH, they would be translated into all EU languages and presented to the College of Commissioners for formal adoption. We hope that these processes will be completed in early 2006, but this is a best case scenario.
	In the meantime we are consulting widely within the UK on the corresponding changes which will be required to domestic legislation. This should enable us to implement the necessary amendments as soon as possible when the EU legal processes are completed. This should enable beef exports from the UK to resume at the earliest opportunity. The consultation package is available on the DEFRA website at http://www.defra.gov.uk/corporate/consult/bse-exports/index.htm.

Beef

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs when she expectsbeef exports to (a) France and (b) Germany to begin, following the end of the Over Thirty Months Scheme.

Ben Bradshaw: The timing of lifting the export ban remains uncertain but is unlikely to happen before February 2006 at the earliest. The Government are continuing to work in Brussels to ensure that the export ban is lifted as soon as possible.
	We would expect Germany and France to comply with EU law when the ban is lifted.

Commmunities Food Supplies

Michael Penning: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will list those (a) organisations, (b) communities and (c) categories of groups in receipt of Communities food supplies from intervention stocks under Regulation (EEC) 3149/92 as amended by Regulation (EC) 1608/2205; if she will list those that have received such aid in the United Kingdom since May 1997; and if she will make a statement.

Jim Knight: The Surplus Food Scheme laid down in Commission Regulation (EC) 3149/1992, as amended by Commission Regulation (EC) 1608/2005, allows member states to choose whether or not to participate in the scheme. The UK has chosen not to participate in this scheme since 1998, therefore no organisations, communities or categories of groups are currently in receipt of intervention stocks. The Rural Payments Agency no longer has records relating to this activity.

Criminal Offences

Simon Hughes: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will list criminal offences created in legislation sponsored by her Department since May 1997, broken down by Act.

Jim Knight: holding answer 9 November 2005
	DEFRA came into being on 8 June 2001 and so it is appropriate to answer the question from that date.
	The following Acts created criminal offences in the 2002–03 session of Parliament.
	The Animal Health Act 2002 (c.42)
	created several criminal offences including the offence of deliberately infecting an animal with any one of 15 diseases specified in the Act, including foot-and-mouth disease. The Schedule created an offence of failing to comply with a restriction notice preventing the use for breeding of sheep that are of a genotype that is susceptible to transmissible spongiform encephalopathies (TSE) and also offences of obstructing an inspector carrying out duties under the Act.
	The Waste and Emissions Trading Act 2003 (c.33)
	provided powers to make offences by regulation for failures to comply with the scheme to be created.
	The Water Act 2003 (c.37)
	made it an offence under Part one to fail to comply with a notice served by the Environment Agency requiring work to be carried out on facilities for impounding water or a licence application to be made for unlicensed impounding works.
	Where abstraction or impounding takes place without a licence or does not comply with the terms of a licence, the Act made it an offence to fail to comply with an enforcement notice issued by the Environment Agency.
	Part two created the offence of introducing water to or supplying water from a water undertaker's supply system without being a water undertaker or a licensed supply person. Under Part three it is an offence for an owner of manager of a large raised reservoir to fail to prepare a flood plan when required to do so. Part three also extended the offence of supplying water unfit for human consumption to apply to persons including employees of the water undertaker and self-employed people involved with the supply of water.
	During the 2003–04 session the following Acts created criminal offences:
	The Gangmasters (Licensing) Act 2004 (c. 11)
	makes it an offence for any person to act as an unlicensed gangmaster and for any other person to enter into arrangements with an unlicensed gangmaster.
	The Act also created other offences in relation to forgery of documents.
	The Highways (Obstruction by Body Corporate) Act 2004 (c.29)
	extended the offence of obstructing a highway under the Highways Act
	1980 so that the directors, managers and other company officers of a guilty
	company may also be found guilty of the obstruction if it was committed
	with their consent, connivance or attributable to their neglect.
	The Hunting Act 2004 (c.37)
	made it an offence under Part one to hunt a wild mammal with a dog, except in some circumstances such as where the dog is being used for stalking and flushing-out only, or to participate in, attend or knowingly facilitate a hare-coursing event.
	Part one also makes it an offence for the owner of a dog to permit it to be used for hunting or hare-coursing or for the owner of land to allow the land to be entered or used for hunting or hare-coursing.
	During the 2004–2005 session the following Act created criminal offences:
	The Clean Neighbourhoods and Environment Act 2005 (c.16)
	Created offences in relation to nuisance parking" which is the selling or repairing of vehicles on a road by persons in business. Part six of the Act created offences in relation to breach of Dog Control Orders", which in relation to specified land may exclude dogs from the land, or prohibit the fouling of the land, or require dogs to be kept on leads when on the land or may limit the number of dogs a person may take onto the specified land. In relation to certain premises in an Alarm Notification Area" Part seven of the Act created offences of failing to nominate a key-holder where an audible intruder alarm is present.
	The Act also made many existing offences punishable by a fixed penalty notice.

Dairy Farming

Greg Knight: To ask the Secretary of State forEnvironment, Food and Rural Affairs how many persons are employed in dairy farming in England; andhow many were so employed on the same date in 1997.

Jim Knight: holding answer 15 November 2005
	The following figures show the number of workers and total labour force on holdings in England where dairy is the predominant activity. The employee figures include salaried managers, casual and family workers. Total labour force includes farmers, partners, directors and their spouses (if working on the holding) in addition to the number employed.
	
		
			  Number employed Total labour force 
		
		
			 1997 23,394 58,498 
			 2004 13,592 41,665 
		
	
	Notes:
	1. Figures prior to 2000 show main holdings only. From 2000 onwards minor holdings are included.
	2. Due to a register improvement exercise in 2001 labour figures prior to this are not directly comparable with later results.
	Source:
	June Agricultural Survey

Departmental Consultants

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will list the (a) private finance initiative and (b) public private partnership external consultants used by her Department and each of its agencies in each of the last two years; and what the (i) nature of the work and (ii) cost was in each case.

Jim Knight: Information about the external consultants used by the Department and its agencies to advise on PFI and PPP is set out in the following tables. Details of the companies with whom PFI and PPP deals themselves have been agreed are available on Partnerships UK's (PUK) website.
	
		PFI
		
			 £ 
			  Agency Consultant Nature of work Cost 
		
		
			 2003 Defra Davis Langdon and Everest Cambridge Eastbrook PFI contract—financial advice 28,000 
			 2003 Defra Gardiner and Theobald Cambridge Eastbrook PFI contract—project management 13,000 
			 2003 Defra Pannell Kerr Foster Associates Cambridge Eastbrook PFI contract—financial advice 10,000 
			 2003 Defra Eversheds Cambridge Eastbrook PFI contract—legal advice 17,000 
			 2003 Defra Ernst and Young Financial assessment of Lancashire waste PFI project 40,000 
			 2003–04 Defra PUK Development of guidance on PFI outline business case review in the waste sector 20,000 
			 2003–04 
			 2004–05 Defra PUK Training on waste PFI outline business case review (6)5,000 
			 2005–06 
			 2003–04 Defra PUK Review of barriers to bank participation in PFI in the waste sector 9,000 
			 2003–04 Defra Deloitte Financial assessment of Northumberland waste PFI project 23,000 
			 2004 Defra Ernst and Young Waste sector PFI project support 19,000 
			 2004 Defra KPMG Financial assessment of Shropshire waste PFI project 26,000 
			 2004 Defra KPMG Financial assessment of Wakefield waste PFI project 19,000 
			 2004 Defra Deloitte Financial assessment of LB Southwark waste PFI project 31,000 
			 2004 Defra Deloitte Financial assessment of Greater Manchester waste PFI project 23,000 
			 2004 Defra Ernst and Young Financial assessment of Cambridgeshire CC waste PFI project 40,000 
			 2004 Defra PwC Advice on encouraging entry into the waste PFI market 26,000 
			 2004 Defra Davis Langdon and Everest Cambridge Eastbrook PFI contract—estate management 32,000 
			 2005 Defra Davis Langdon and Everest Cambridge Eastbrook PFI contract-estate management 30,000 
			 2004–05 Environment Agency PUK Membership of project board reviewing performance of PFI projects 10,000 
			 2004–05 Environment Agency PA Consulting/Arup Review of performance of existing PFI contracts and potential for future PFI support in flood defence work 195,000 
			 2005 Defra 4Ps Consultancy on various PFI projects in the waste sector 94,000 
			 2005 Defra Deloitte Advice on Greater Manchester waste PFI project 9,000 
			 2005 Defra AEA Tech PFI stage 2 waste model 4,000 
			 2005 Defra PUK Support Defra in providing guidance to authorities preparing PFI outline business cases in the waste sector 27,000 
			 2005–06 Defra PUK Provide support to Notts CC in negotiation of their waste PFI preferred bidder 33,000 
			 Current and ongoing Defra PUK Guidance development and strategic support to Defra in respect of two potential waste PFI deals in Notts and Cornwall 210,000 
			 Current and ongoing Defra PUK Development of PFI value for money guidance 20,000 
		
	
	(6) per annum.
	
		PPP
		
			 £ 
			  Agency Consultant Nature of work Cost 
		
		
			 End 2003 to February 2005 British Waterways  Waterside Pub Partnership:  
			   Nabarro Nathanson Legal advice 527,000 
			   Ernst and Young Financial advice 356,000 
			   PUK Government liaison and strategic advice 64,000 
			   Alan Newman Project manager 159,000 
			   Gerald Eve Property adviser 79,000 
			   Other Other smaller items 85,000 
			 End 2003 to March 2005 British Waterways  Wood Wharf PPP:  
			   Good Relations PR/negotiation advice 189,000 
			   Denton Wilde Sapte Legal advice 140,000 
			   Atis Real Property adviser 451,000 
			   Berwin Leighton Paisner Legal advice 762,000 
			   Deloitte Financial advice 983,000 
			   Big Picture Consulting General project advice 48,000 
			 2005 Environment Agency PUK Development of a commercialisation strategy 25,000

Departmental Consultants

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will list the external consultants used by her Department and each of its agencies, excluding public private partnership and private finance initiative contracts, in each of the last two years; and if she will provide details of the (a) nature of the work and (b) cost in each case.

Jim Knight: This information is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Departmental Finance

Helen Goodman: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what the latest estimate is of underspend by her Department (a) in cash terms and (b) as a percentage of departmental budget for financial year 2004–05.

Jim Knight: For details of the Department's underspend in the 2004–05 fiscal year, I refer the hon. Member to the information contained in the Public Expenditure Outturn White Paper (PEOWP) 2004–05 (Cm 6639). Table 1 of PEOWP 2004–05 gives provisional outturn against Final Resource DEL and Table 1A gives Provisional outturn against Final Capital DEL. A percentage figure can be calculated from the tables.

Departmental Staff

Michael Penning: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will list the 10 highest-paid employees in her Department, broken down by (a) job title and (b) salary including bonuses; and whether the individual concerned is (i) a civil servant and (ii) a contractor in each case.

Jim Knight: The posts held by the 10 highest paid employees in Defra as at 1 November 2005 were (in alphabetical order):
	Acting Permanent Secretary
	Chief Operating Officer
	Chief Scientific Adviser and Director General Science, Economics and Statistics
	Chief Veterinary Officer and Director General, Animal Health and Welfare
	Director, Climate, Energy and Environmental Risk
	Director General, Environment
	Director General, Natural Resources and Rural Affairs
	Director General, Sustainable Farming, Food and Fisheries
	Director, Rural Policy
	Solicitor and Director General, Legal Services.
	One is an inward secondment to Defra and the remainder are direct employees. Their salaries are in the range £113,000 to £152,000 including bonus awards.
	The salaries of Chief Executives of Defra's executive agencies are in their individual annual reports, placed before Parliament.

Departmental Staff

Michael Penning: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many staff in her Department were (a) civil servants, (b) contractors and (c) other staff each year since 1997.

Jim Knight: Defra was created in June 2001 and this answer relates to the period since then.
	(a) Information on the number of civil servants in Defra is contained in Civil Service Statistics 2004 which is available in the Library and on the Cabinet Office Statistics website at: http://www.civilservice.gov.uk/management_of_the_civil_service/statistics/civil_service_statistics/index.asp.
	Table C of Civil Service Statistics 2004 shows permanent staff numbers between 1998 and 2004. Table A in each year's publication shows the number of both permanent and casual staff for that year.
	(b) and (c) Records of the number of contractors and other non-civil servants employed in the Department are not held centrally and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

Departmental Transport

Bill Wiggin: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many and what percentage of journeys have been made using public transport in her Department in each year since 2001.

Jim Knight: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given on 7 November 2005, Official Report, column 23W.

Departmental Vehicles

Bill Wiggin: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs pursuant to the answer of 7 November 2005, Official Report, column 22W, on departmental vehicles, how many vehicles used by her Department use hybrid environmentally friendly technologies.

Jim Knight: The Defra and Executive Agencies fleet has eight vehicles powered by hybrid environmentally friendly technologies. In addition, the London-based taxi contract, Green Cars, uses only cars that are powered by LPG, or hybrid technologies.
	It is not possible to provide information on the number of private cars used for official business that use hybrid environmentally friendly technologies. The Government Car Despatch Agency provides five cars that use hybrid environmentally friendly technologies for ministerial use. These are not part of the Defra fleet.

Direct Mail

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many contracts for direct mail were signed by her Department in (a) 2005–06 to date and (b) 2004–05; and what the value was in each case.

Jim Knight: In the financial year 2004–05, two contracts for direct mail were let, and the financial values of each contract were £111,000 and £163,000 respectively. No contracts for direct mail have been let in 2005–06 to date.

Energy Efficiency

Gordon Marsden: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what data her Department has collected since 2003 on the percentage of recipients of Warm Front who are fuel poor.

Elliot Morley: We do not collect specific data on the fuel poverty status of Warm Front recipients. The eligibility criteria for Warm Front are specifically designed to use receipt of one of a number of qualifying benefits as an indication that a particular householder may be vulnerable and so at risk of fuel poverty.
	Households not in receipt of a qualifying benefit at the time of application are offered a benefit entitlement check, which is designed to provide both the potential of increasing household income and to establish eligibility of households to benefit from measures under Warm Front.

Energy Efficiency

Gordon Marsden: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what assessment she has made of the future funding requirements of (a) Warm Front and (b) other programmes to combat fuel poverty; and if she will make a statement.

Elliot Morley: In the last Spending Review we announced an additional £140 million to tackle fuel poverty, taking our total fuel poverty funding to £251 million by 2007–08.
	We are currently working with colleagues across Government to review the level of resources and associated activity required to meet our 2010 target of eradicating fuel poverty, as far as reasonably practicable, in vulnerable households in England. This work is being carried out taking into account current projections on fuel prices and household incomes to 2010.
	The Decent Homes Standard and the Energy Efficiency Commitment will continue to make a contribution toward the achievement of our target.

Energy Efficiency

Gordon Marsden: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many central heating systems have been fitted for people aged over 65 years under the Warm Front Scheme in each year since the scheme started; and what percentage this represents of the total systems fitted.

Elliot Morley: Between the launch of the Warm Front Scheme in June 2000 and the end of March 2005, central heating systems were only available to those aged 60 or over. During this period the following number of new gas central heating systems were installed:
	
		Aged 60+
		
			  Number installed 
		
		
			 2000–01 5,118 
			 2001–02 26,915 
			 2002–03 14,492 
			 2003–04 9,546 
			 2004–05 8,643 
		
	
	Of these systems, the following number were installed for applicants over the age of 65:
	
		Aged 65+
		
			  Number installed Percentage of total installed 
		
		
			 2000–01 4,148 81 
			 2001–02 18,369 68 
			 2002–03 11,445 78 
			 2003–04 7,828 82 
			 2004–05 7,393 86

Environmental Health Officers

Gordon Prentice: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what steps she is taking to encourage local authorities to recruit more environmental health officers.

Phil Woolas: I have been asked to reply.
	It is the responsibility of individual authorities to address recruitment and retention issues within the workforce.
	The Local Government Association and the Employers Organisation for Local Government have identified shortage of environmental health officers within the sector. They are working with the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister (OPDM) to raise the profile of the profession.
	The ODPM Capacity Building Funding provided £780,000 in the year 2004–05 to promote the provision of practical training placements of Environmental Health Officers and Trading Standards Officers within local authorities in England.
	A further £760,000 of ODPM Capacity Building Funding has been allocated for 2005–06 to promote further practical training placements and work experience opportunities within local authorities in England.

Environmental Protection

Andrew MacKinlay: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs whether it is part of the European Union Acquis that countries are required to have an environmental protection agency or similar organisation separate or at arm's length from Government; and if she will make a statement.

Elliot Morley: holding answer 17 November 2005
	There is no such requirement within the acquis. The administrative structure adopted is a matter for each member state.

Farming

Peter Bone: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what recent assessment she has made of the impact of regulations on farm businesses; and if she will make a statement.

Jim Knight: Defra is developing a new approach to farming regulation and will be publishing more details on this at the end of November. This will be supported by an economic analysis of the impact of the major regulatory proposals on the horizon between now and 2015.
	We are also taking part in a major exercise across Whitehall, led by the Better Regulation Executive, to develop a database of our current regulations. This is the starting point for measuring administrative burdens and identifying areas for change.
	In its Five Year Strategy published in December 2004, Defra made a commitment to reduce the administrative burdens imposed by its regulations on business, including farming, by at least 25 per cent. by the end of 2009.

Farming

Lindsay Hoyle: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what recent assessment she has made of the speed with which awards under the Single Farm payments scheme are made.

Jim Knight: Ministers regularly assess the likely timing of Single Payment Scheme awards with officials at the Rural Payments Agency, which is responsible for the administration of the scheme in England. RPA remains on course to commence payments in February 2006 and complete 96 per cent. of payments by the end of March, in line with announcements made at the start of the year.

Farming

Laurence Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what recent discussions she has had with the National Farmers' Union about the impact of fuel prices on the farming industry; and if she will make a statement.

Jim Knight: In addition to the Minister for Sustainable Farming and Food's regular meetings with the NFU, the Secretary of State and other DEFRA Ministers meet the NFU to discuss a wide range of issues of relevance to rural communities and food producers.

Farming

Nigel Evans: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many new entrants into farming there were in each year since 1997, broken down by type of farm.

Jim Knight: There is little robust data on the numbers of new entrants by type of farming.
	Figures from the June Agricultural and Horticultural Survey indicate the number of holdings in England by farm type in June each year. These figures show the net change in the number of holdings but it is difficult to infer specific information from the figures in terms of new entrants. Please see the following table.
	A recent source of information about new entrants to farming is the report into Entry to and Exit from Farming in the UK that was commissioned by DEFRA in 2003. This is available on the DEFRA website at http://statistics.defra.gov.uk/esg/reports/entrvexit/default.asp. Among the more significant findings from this research were that the rate of entry into farming was lower than the rate of exit and that both the rate of entry and the rate of exit were lower than in other sectors. The research found that some 2 per cent. of farmers had entered the industry in the five years up to and including 2003, while up to 18 per cent. of farmers had retired over the same period.
	Although the study did not look at rates of entry by farm type, there were indications from the research that the proportion of decision makers who have been farming for 20 years or less was highest in the poultry, horticulture and dairy sectors and lowest in the pig and cereals sectors.
	Broader information about new UK businesses in the agricultural sector registering for VAT is given in table 2. VAT registrations do not capture all start-up activity. Businesses are unlikely to be registered if they fall below the compulsory VAT threshold, which has risen in each year since 1997. Only 1.8 million out of 4.3 million enterprises were registered for VAT at the start of 2004. Therefore, although the figures show an overall decline in the numbers of businesses registering for VAT in the agricultural sector between 1997 and 2004, this does not necessarily mean that there was a decline in the numbers of new entrants over the same period.
	
		Total registered holdings in England by farm type 1997 to 2004
		
			 Farm type 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 
		
		
			 Cereals 21,085 21,473 20,905 20,996 21,340 21,258 21,538 22,879 
			 General Cropping 11,696 11,239 11,119 9,861 9,991 9,200 8,901 9,369 
			 Horticulture 8,566 8,380 8,192 9,643 9,488 9,520 9,030 9,592 
			 Pigs and Poultry 5,347 5,463 5,461 6,122 6,791 6,991 6,950 — 
			 Specialist Pigs (From 2004) — — — — — — — 2,160 
			 Specialist Poultry (From 2004 — — — — — — — 5,536 
			 Dairy 18,007 17,014 16,313 15,219 14,106 14,342 13,556 13,264 
			 Cattle and Sheep (LFA) 9,645 10,555 10,647 10,097 10,705 11,763 11,577 — 
			 Cattle and Sheep (Lowland) 30,878 29,893 31,269 32,816 31,306 33,778 34,787 — 
			 LFA—Grazing Livestock (From 2004) — — — — — — — 11,366 
			 Lowland— Grazing Livestock (From 2004) — — — — — — — 36013 
			 Mixed 11,333 11,279 10,752 10,915 10,656 10,284 10,097 11,000 
			 Other Types 28,220 29,797 32,562 52,186 63,551 70,735 74,251 71,645 
			 All Types 144,777 145,093 147,220 167,855 177,934 187,871 190,687 192,824 
		
	
	Note:
	Figures prior to 2000 show main holdings only. From 2000 onwards minor holdings are included.
	Source:
	June Agricultural Survey.
	
		UK VAT registrations the agricultural sector 1997 to 2004
		
			  1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 
		
		
			 Growing of crops; market gardening; horticulture 440 385 320 300 300 245 295 270 
			 Farming of animals 1,130 985 780 765 705 860 910 990 
			 Mixed farming 1,370 1,055 970 855 735 940 710 470 
			 Total 2,940 2,425 2,070 1,920 1,740 2,045 1,915 1,730 
		
	
	Note:
	Excludes most of the very smallest one-person businesses.
	Source:
	Department of Trade and Industry

Farming

Philip Hollobone: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many (a) dairy, (b) arable and (c) mixed farms there are in Northamptonshire; and how many there were in each category in (i) 1975, (ii) 1980, (iii) 1990 and (iv) 2000.

Jim Knight: holding answer 16 November 2005
	The number of holdings by farm type in Northamptonshire are as follows:
	
		
			  (a) Dairy (b) Cereals General cropping (c) Mixed 
		
		
			 (i) 1990 107 689 80 219 
			 (ii) 2000 55 683 29 209 
		
	
	Note:
	Comparable data for earlier years are not available. Farm type categories have changed over time.
	Figures prior to 2000 cover main holdings only. Figures from 2000 onwards include all holdings.
	Source:
	June Agricultural Survey

Flooding

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will list communities recorded by the Environment Agency as being subject to flooding in 2000, giving in each case the number of (a) commercial and (b) residential properties flooded; and for how many and what percentage of properties in each community (i) flood defences have been improved, (ii) flood defence improvements have been approved but not yet implemented and (iii) flood defences improvements have been approved.

Elliot Morley: The Environment Agency has provided as much information as possible, subject to disproportionate cost limitations, and a copy will be made available in the Library of the House.
	As I explained in my answer to a similar previous question from the hon. Member on 10 February 2005, Official Report, column 1662W, I regret it has not been possible, without incurring disproportionate cost, to categorise the properties flooded in 2000 by commercial and residential use, or to provide other exact details in response to these questions.

Flower Imports

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what was the total (a) volume and (b) value of flowers imported into the UK from Kenya for each year since 2001; what discussions her Department has had relating to the involvement of UK companies in the import or production of flowers produced overseas using chemicals banned in the EU; and if she will make a statement.

Elliot Morley: The total volume and value of imports of fresh cut flowers into the UK from Kenya since 2001 is set out in the given table.
	The Department has had no discussions on the use of chemicals in the production of flowers overseas. However, my noble Friend, the Lord Bach, met with a major importer of cut flowers from Kenya on 13 July this year to discuss the impact of changes to plant health import regulations, the resulting increase in inspections of cut flowers to check for the presence of quarantine plant pests, and the charges which have been introduced to cover the cost of those inspections.
	
		0511k009: UK imports of cut flowers from Kenya 2001 to August 2005
		
			  2001 2002 2003 2004 January-August 2005 
			 Description Tonnes £000 Tonnes £000 Tonnes £000 Tonnes £000 Tonnes £000 
		
		
			 Fresh cut flowers: other 2,300 6,946 3,934 12,012 5,549 15,705 10,304 28,416 6,356 17,794 
			 Fresh cut flowers: roses 4,273 14,388 4,746 16,054 5,068 16,264 4,855 14,077 4,333 11,535 
			 Fresh cut flowers: carnations 2,470 6,673 1,831 4,873 961 2,271 1,581 2,810 1,751 4,911 
			 Cut flowers: prepared 1,095 3,786 572 1,998 45 171 8 31 8 37 
			 Fresh cut flowers: gladioli 7 12 120 156 143 485 220 646 22 61 
			 Fresh cut flowers: chrysanthemums 3 18 10 66 25 166 21 133 3 18 
			 Fresh cut flowers: orchids 37 35 8 10 0 17 — — — — 
			 Grand total 10,183 31,859 11,221 35,171 11,792 35,078 16,989 46,112 12,473 34,357 
		
	
	Source:
	HM Revenue and Customs
	Data prepared by Trade statistics, Food Chain Analysis 3, Defra
	2005 data are subject to amendments.

Flower Imports

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what controls are placed on the import of flowers into the UK in relation to the use of (a) pesticides and (b) environmentally unsustainable practices; and if she will make a statement.

Elliot Morley: We do not monitor imported flowers for pesticides residues nor do we have any power to insist that the material is produced in an environmentally sustainable way. However, EU common quality standards require that marketed cut flowers must be free of pesticide residues that affect the visual quality of the product and the Plant Health Order requires that they must also be free from certain plant pests, which do not normally occur in the UK.
	The Pesticides Safety Directorate is providing technical assistance to Kenya, Ghana, Tanzania, Jamaica, St. Lucia and Uganda as part of the EC-funded Pesticides Initiative Programme, which covers the Africa, Caribbean and Pacific group of states. Activities include visits to assist the regulatory authorities with capacity building of their structures and processes, and delivering training programmes covering the technical, policy and procedural requirements of pesticides regulation.

Food Security

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what her Department's policy is towards food security; what recent discussions she has had with the EU on food security; and if she will make a statement.

Jim Knight: Our food security policy ensures consumers have access to a stable and adequate supply of food. Our domestic agriculture industry has an important contribution to make to the continuity of food supply by improving its ability to produce what the market requires. The reformed CAP, in breaking the link between subsidy and production, is encouraging farmers to produce what the market requires, rather than what subsidies dictate. Our farmers are well placed to produce foodstuffs that Europe's climate is suited to, but we cannot grow all the agricultural products our consumers might want to buy.
	However, the UK has long been a net importer of food and national and international food security is best facilitated through improved trading relationships based on more open international markets and reductions in trade distorting subsidies.
	The Secretary of State has had no recent discussions with the EU on the subject of food security.

Forests

Daniel Kawczynski: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will make representations to the Chancellor of the Exchequer to encourage more private sector ownership of forests by extending tax concessions to those purchasing forest land.

Jim Knight: I do not plan to make representations to the Chancellor of the Exchequer on tax concessions for private land purchases. The sector benefits from all income and profits from timber sales being free from corporation tax and income tax. Commercial woodlands continue to be able to attract relief on inheritance tax and there is no capital gains tax on the increase in value of standing timber. In addition, government continues to support sustainable forest management for the provision of public benefits through direct grants from the England woodland grant scheme.

Freedom of Information

Peter Law: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will list Freedom of Information (FOI) requests to her Department which have been passed to the FOI clearing house for evaluation, broken down by (a) subject and (b) date of request.

Jim Knight: Information about the handling of Freedom of Information requests is published in Freedom of Information Statistics on Implementation in Central Government". The most recently published report was 30 September 2005 and copies were placed in the Libraries of both Houses. Additional information about the role of the Clearing House can be found on the DCA website at http://www.foi.gov.uk/guidance/index.htmt#2. Departments do not release information about the internal handling of requests, such as details of which requests were referred to the Clearing House for guidance.

Fuel Poverty

Gordon Marsden: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what steps the Government are taking to identify older people in fuel poverty who are not in receipt of benefits.

Elliot Morley: The Warm Front Scheme is the Government's main tool for tackling fuel poverty in the private sector. Eligibility for the scheme is via the receipt of one of a number of qualifying benefits.
	Those not in receipt of a qualifying benefit at the time of application are offered a benefit entitlement check, which is designed to provide both the potential of increasing household income and to establish eligibility of households to benefit from measures under Warm Front.

Hunts

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs whether hunts which purchase birds of prey are obliged to register the (a) purchase, (b) sale, (c) death and (d) loss of such birds; and if she will make a statement.

Jim Knight: The Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 makes it a requirement that any bird listed on a Schedule to the Act that is kept in captivity must be ringed and registered with Defra. The list includes some, but not all, species of bird of prey that are likely to be used for hunting. The Act is a possession control, and does not regulate the purchase or sale of specimens. We request that registered keepers of birds notify the Department of the death or loss of a registered bird, but this is not a legal requirement.
	The sale (or commercial use) of certain species of birds of prey is regulated by the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES), applied by EC Regulations, which requires the use of a certificate issued under Article 10 of Council Regulation. An individual or organisation which purchased or sold listed birds of prey without complying with the regulations would be committing an offence. However, the possession of such a certificate is sufficient. There is no requirement to register individual sales under that certificate with my Department.

Litter Abatement Orders

Michael Penning: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many litter abatement orders have been served in Hertfordshire in each of the last five years.

Ben Bradshaw: None.

Milk Price

Daniel Kawczynski: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what encouragement she is giving to ensure that a competitive market exists for the price of milk paid to farmers.

Jim Knight: Competition issues are a matter for the Office of Fair Trading. The Government believe that as long as competition rules are respected, it should not seek to intervene in matters of pricing.
	My noble Friend Lord Bach and I will nevertheless be discussing a range of competition issues with colleagues in the Department of Trade and Industry next month. And, through the Dairy Supply Chain Forum, which my noble Friend chairs, we are working with the industry to help it secure a competitive and sustainable future.

Ministerial Travel

Michael Penning: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will list, for each year since 1995, the number of flights, including helicopter flights, taken by Ministers within her Department for UK and overseas visits; on how many occasions (a) charter flights were used and (b) first and club class tickets were obtained; and if she will indicate who accompanied the Ministers on each trip.

Jim Knight: All ministerial travel is undertaken in accordance with the rules set out in the Ministerial Code and Travel by Ministers, copies of which are available in the Libraries of the House. In respect of overseas travel by Ministers, since 1999 the Government have published an annual list of all visits overseas undertaken by Cabinet Ministers costing £500 or more during each financial year. The list indicates when non-scheduled flights were used. The Government have also published on an annual basis the cost of all Ministers' visits overseas. Copies of the lists are available in the Library of the House. These report information reaching back to 1995–96. Information for 2005–06 will be published after the end of the financial year.

Ministerial Travel

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how much has been spent in each year from 1 May 1997 on ministerial travel, broken down by (a) provision and running costs of vehicular transport, (b) first class travel by rail, (c) standard class travel by rail, (d) first class travel by air, (e) club or equivalent class travel by air and (f) economy class travel by air.

Jim Knight: All ministerial travel is undertaken in accordance with the rules set out in the Ministerial Code" and Travel by Ministers", copies of which are available in the Libraries of the House. In respect of overseas travel by Ministers, since 1999 the Government have published an annual list of all visits overseas undertaken by Cabinet Ministers costing £500 or more during each financial year. The list indicates when non-scheduled flights were used. The Government have also published on an annual basis the cost of all Ministers' visits overseas. Copies of the lists are available in the Library of the House. These report information reaching back to 1995–96. Information for 2005–06 will be published after the end of the financial year.

Nappies

Bill Wiggin: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how much money the Department has spent on encouraging the use of washable nappies; and if she will make a statement.

Ben Bradshaw: The cost of the reusable nappy programme managed by the Waste and Resources Action Programme is £2.8 million for the three years from 2003–06.

Nuclear Waste

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what volume of (a) low level, (b) intermediate level and (c) high level nuclear waste went missing in 2004; and what percentage was recovered.

Elliot Morley: Further to my previous reply to the hon. Member on 22 June 2005, Official Report, column 1040W, the Department is not aware of any radioactive waste that has gone missing.

Palm Oil

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will make it her policy to discuss new regulations with EU colleagues on preventing the importation of palm oil for food production whose production has damaged the habitat of the orangutan.

Elliot Morley: There have not been any specific discussions concerning the destruction of orangutan habitats for palm oil plantations to date.
	DEFRA are commissioning research work into the impacts of internationally sourced commodity production on biodiversity. This work will seek to identify the range of commodities with the largest effects on global biodiversity; palm oil will be one of the commodities investigated. The outcomes of this work will inform future policy development in the UK and abroad. Further research is also being undertaken under the auspices of the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil. This was established in 2004 and is running a pilot programme in sustainable palm oil production in Malaysia.
	Notes:
	The RSPO is an international organisation which has a range of members from across the globe, (NGOs, businesses and public sector), who recognise the importance of establishing a legal and sustainable international trade in palm oil. Further information on it can be found at: http://www.sustainable-palmoil.org

Single Payment Scheme

Laurence Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will make a statement on the timing of payments being made under the Single Payment Scheme.

Jim Knight: Ministers regularly assess the likely timing of Single Payment Scheme awards with officials at the Rural Payments Agency, which is responsible for the administration of the scheme in England. RPA remains on course to commence payments in February 2006 and complete 96 per cent. of payments by the end of March, in line with announcements made at the start of the year.

Sites of Special Scientific Interest

Madeleine Moon: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what public service agreements are in place with local authorities in England for the management of sites of special scientific interest (SSSIs) in their areas; and what funding has been allocated to each relevant local authority in relation to the management of SSSIs in 2005–06.

Jim Knight: holding answer 21 November 2005
	Currently two councils, Cornwall and Essex, have in place local public service agreements (LPSAs) which cover progress towards meeting agreed biodiversity objectives, which can include the management of SSSIs. To the extent that these are met, the councils will receive the standard funding awards that are open to all councils for LPSAs.
	English Nature estimate that overall local authorities own or manage about 4.88 per cent. of England's SSSI land. SSSI landowners and managers, such as local authorities, are able to access, subject to condition, a variety of funding streams which can benefit SSSIs, including from English Nature, agri-environment schemes and from lottery or EU sources. The overall funding requirements of local authorities is a matter for the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister.

Special Advisers

Michael Penning: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many (a) consultants and (b) special advisers were employed by her Department in each year since 1997; what the cost of each was in each year; and if she will make a statement.

Jim Knight: DEFRA was created in 2001. In respect of consultants I refer the hon. Member to the answers given to the hon. Member for Great Grimsby (Mr. Mitchell) on 13 June 2005, Official Report, columns 35–36W, and on 21 July 2005, Official Report, columns 1962–63W.
	Since 2003, the Government have published on an annual basis the names and overall cost of special advisers and the number in each pay band. For the most recent information I refer the hon. Member to the statement made by the Prime Minister on 21 July 2005, Official Report, columns 158–62WS.
	Information on the numbers of special advisers prior to 2003 was provided at regular intervals and this information will be available in the Library of the House. Information relating to costs for 2005–06 will be published after the end of the current financial year.

Staff Discipline

David Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many employees have been dismissed by her Department in each of the last five years for which figures are available.

Jim Knight: The numbers of employees dismissed from core-defra for each calendar year since it was created on 9 June 2001 are as follows:
	
		
			  Number 
		
		
			 2001 2 
			 2002 5 
			 2003 15 
			 2004 9 
			 2005 13 
		
	
	These dismissals were the result of staff undergoing procedures for misconduct, unsatisfactory attendance and unsatisfactory performance (including probation).

Stewardship Scheme

Alistair Burt: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs when she expects the higher level stewardship scheme to be introduced; and if she will make a statement.

Jim Knight: Environmental Stewardship was launched by the Secretary of State on 3 March 2005. The first applications under the higher level strand of the scheme have been lodged over the summer and continue to be received. Development of the supporting IT has taken longer than hoped but I now expect the first higher level stewardship agreements to come into effect from 1 February next year.

Stewardship Scheme

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will make a statement on the reason for the delay to the commencement, due on 1 November, of payments to applicants to the Higher Level Stewardship scheme; and if she will arrange for such applicants to be paid the entry level scheme payment by means of an interim arrangement.

Jim Knight: holding answer 11 November 2005
	Testing of the IT system required to support the development of Higher Level Stewardship (HLS) agreements has proved more challenging than expected. It is essential that the system is sufficiently robust to develop complete and accurate agreements that fully satisfy our regulatory obligations. While we had hoped to issue the first agreements from 1 November this year, delayed delivery of the IT system will now mean the first HLS agreements will commence early in the new year. Payments for the scheme commence from six months after the start of an agreement and at six monthly intervals thereafter.
	In recognition of the delay we are looking at a mechanism to support the early participation in the Entry Level strand of Environmental Stewardship without applicants having to go through the application process a second time. Officials are currently working on guidance to support this process.

Stewardship Scheme

Nigel Evans: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how much has been given under the (a) higher and (b) entry stewardship scheme in each year since they were introduced.

Jim Knight: Environmental Stewardship was launched by the Secretary of State on 3 March 2005, however the first Entry Level agreements were not scheduled to come into effect until 1 August 2005. Under the scheme the first payments are made to agreement holders six months from the agreement start date, therefore, the first grants do not become payable until February 2006.
	The first Higher Level Stewardship agreements are now expected to come into effect from early next year. The first payments for these agreements also fall due some six months following the agreement start date and at six monthly intervals thereafter

Sugar Regime

Doug Henderson: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what assessment she has made of the reasons industrial purchasers of sugar in the EU pay more than the institutional price for sugar.

Jim Knight: The main reason for the difference between institutional and market prices is the current system of national sugar quotas. The limitation of production by quota has produced a fragmented EU market which provides little incentive for competition between sugar processors in different member states. The EU Commission's proposals for reform of the sugar regime are expected to increase trade between member states and competition between beet processors and cane refiners. Further analysis of these issues is given in the Government's regulatory impact assessment of options for reform of the EU Sugar Regime.

Sugar Regime

Doug Henderson: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will recommend to the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry that she refer the UK sugar processing sector to the Competition Commission.

Jim Knight: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to the hon. Member for Pendle (Mr. Prentice) on 9 November 2005, Official Report, column 492W.

Sugar Regime

Doug Henderson: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what assessment she has made of whether tradable sugar quotas, as proposed in the European Commission's Communication of July 2004, would be beneficial to UK (a) industry, (b) agriculture and (c) consumers.

Jim Knight: The European Commission's Communication of July 2004 was a further discussion of options for reform, preparatory to the tabling of formal legislative proposals in June this year. In making its definitive proposals the Commission decided not to proceed with a tradable quota scheme. The analysis relating to this was summarised in the explanatory material and impact assessment studies which the Commission published at the time. A further discussion of these issues is contained in the Government's own regulatory impact assessment, copies of which are available in the Library of the House.

Vulnerable Persons Regulations

Linda Gilroy: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what the take up of the Vulnerable Persons Regulations tariff was in 2004–05, broken down by water company.

Elliot Morley: holding answer 15 November 2005
	The take-up of the Water Industry (Charges) (Vulnerable Groups) Regulations tariff is set out in the table, broken down by company area.
	
		Number of successful applications under the Vulnerable Groups Regulations—2004–05
		
			  Number of successful applicants 
		
		
			 Anglian 682 
			 Dwr Cymru 319 
			 United Utilities 1,114 
			 Northumbrian 483 
			 Severn Trent 916 
			 South West 1,645 
			 Southern 258 
			 Thames 1,323 
			 Wessex 481 
			 Yorkshire 1,059 
			 Bournemouth and West Hampshire 73 
			 Bristol 93 
			 Cambridge 81 
			 Dee Valley 10 
			 Folkestone and Dover 12 
			 Mid Kent 138 
			 Portsmouth 24 
			 South East Water 91 
			 South Staffs 39 
			 Sutton and East Surrey 38 
			 Tendring Hundred 87 
			 Three Valleys 251 
			 England and Wales 9,217

TRANSPORT

A19

Iain Wright: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport pursuant to the answer of 28 October 2005, Official Report, column 597W, on the A19, 
	(1)  what steps his Department is taking to reduce the number of personal injury accidents on the A19 between Tyneside and Teesside;
	(2)  what steps his Department has taken to identify specific points of increased risk of personal injury accidents on the A19 between Tyneside and Teesside.

Stephen Ladyman: The Highways Agency carried out a Route Management Strategy, on the A19 in 2003 that included an assessment of accident rates and identified specific lengths of carriageway where there was an increased risk of personal injury accidents. While this road is better than the national average for 'A' roads in terms of personal injury accidents, a number of improvement schemes were carried out in 2003–04. These included improved lighting, road markings and safety fencing schemes. The Highways Agency will continue to monitor accident trends regularly.
	The strategy also identified a need to undertake a Central Reserve Gaps study that has been recently completed. Any high priority gap closure schemes identified in this study will be included in the Highways Agency forward programme of safety improvements subject to funds being available.

Biofuels (Carbon Emissions)

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what assessment he has made of the (a) practicality of converting aircraft to run on bio-ethanol and (b) carbon emission implications of such a switch.

Karen Buck: holding answer 21 November 2005
	The UK project The Potential for Renewable Energy Sources in Aviation" produced by Imperial College Centre for Energy, Policy and Technology in 2003 for DTI, studied the options for potential renewable fuels for civil aviation. The study examined a whole range of alternative fuels and energy sources including bio-ethanol. Bio-ethanol was found to be inherently unsuitable as it does not contain sufficient energy for a jet fuel, in either mass or volume terms. The practical implications of these two factors are that aircraft range would be reduced compared to conventional fuels, and even if air-frames were redesigned with significantly larger fuel capacity, their take-off weight would be too high.

Buses

Madeleine Moon: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will take steps to ensure that adaptation of buses to facilitate wheelchair access does not involve incorporating steep steps.

Karen Buck: The Public Service Vehicles Accessibility Regulations 2000 (as amended) require new buses first used on or after 31 December 2000, with a capacity of more than 22 passengers, used on local or scheduled services to be accessible to disabled people including wheelchair users. The regulations allow operators to provide access for wheelchair users by means of a lift or a ramp, and regulated vehicles also require improved access for all passengers through better step dimensions, provision of handrails and colour contrast markings. The end dates by which time all such vehicles are required to meet the regulations depends on vehicle type and range from 2015 to 2020. It is entirely a matter for bus and coach operators to select the most appropriate vehicle type for their operations.

Buses

Gwyneth Dunwoody: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will amend the Public Service Vehicles Accessibility Regulations such that public service vehicles will be equipped by 2012 to be accessible to people with a range of different disabilities.

Karen Buck: The Public Service Vehicles Accessibility Regulations 2000 (as amended) make comprehensive provision for improved access for passengers with a wide range of disabilities. The regulations are kept under review and will be developed in line with technology, while taking account of the effect on all stakeholders and the financial implications of any changes.

Carbon Emissions (Aircraft)

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what estimate he has made of the likely percentage change in carbon emissions per aircraft arising from technological advances to aircraft design by (a) 2020 and (b) 2050.

Karen Buck: The Air Transport White Paper acknowledges European targets for a 50 per cent. improvement in fuel efficiency (which translates to reduced CO 2 emissions) by 2020 based on advances in technology and operational developments. The UK industry has adopted this target—set by the Advisory Council for Aerospace Research in Europe (ACARE) in 2002—in its recently published 'Sustainable Aviation' strategy. The Government have welcomed this commitment. Aviation fuel efficiency targets for 2050 have not been specified though scenarios for aviation environmental performance in 2050 have been produced through collaborative European work.

Cycling

George Howarth: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether the expansion of the UK's cycle network has led to an increase in the number of cyclists (a) arrested, (b) charged and (c) convicted for disobeying traffic signals; and whether the Government plan to introduce tougher measures in this respect.

Paul Goggins: I have been asked to reply.
	Information is not collected centrally on the number of cyclists arrested and charged with disobeying traffic signals The table provides the latest available data on cyclists convicted of neglect of traffic directions or failure to obey a signal.
	
		Number of offenders found guilty for selected cycling offences, England and Wales 1999–2003(7)
		
			  Found guilty 
		
		
			 Offence: Neglect of traffic directions. Statute: Road Traffic Act 1988 ss.35 and 36  
			 1999 60 
			 2000 47 
			 2001 34 
			 2002 16 
			 2003 31 
			   
			 Offence: Failing to obey signal. Statute: Road Traffic Regulation Act 1984 s.28(3)  
			 1999 41 
			 2000 5 
			 2001 8 
			 2002 7 
			 2003 4 
		
	
	(7) These data are on the principal offence basis.
	Source:
	RDS—Office for Criminal Justice Reform.

Departmental Staff (Literacy and Numeracy)

Nick Gibb: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what proportion of new recruits to his Department do not have a level 2 qualification in English and mathematics.

Karen Buck: Recruitment into and within the Department for Transport is carried out on the basis of competency assessment. Except for recruitment for specialist posts, specific qualifications are not a requirement, and the Department does not therefore maintain comprehensive data in this area.

Light Pollution

George Howarth: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport 
	(1)  what estimate has been made of the amount of light pollution created by street lights;
	(2)  what steps are being taken to limit light pollution from street lights.

Karen Buck: The Department for Transport has made no estimate of the amount of light pollution caused by street lights.
	The Department contributed to advice published by the Government on good street lighting practice to reduce sky glow and light pollution generally. The Institution of Lighting Engineers (ILE) has also published advice.
	Light pollution is often a result of the use of low-pressure sodium lighting units. Newer technologies, and in particular high-pressure sodium lighting units, allow much finer control of the light distribution and a reduction in the amount of light directed towards the sky.
	The Government support the installation of improved street lighting for new schemes, or for updating older ones. £300 million in PFI credits were made available to local authorities outside London in 2003–04 to help modernise street lighting, and over the following three years a further £85 million in PFI credits has been made available for local authorities in London for this purpose, in addition to the support available through the revenue support grant. This month I announced that an additional £600 million of PFI credits will be made available to authorities in England.
	Approximately 30 per cent. of the Highways Agency's road network is lit. All new lighting schemes are designed using efficient luminaries containing high-pressure sodium light sources that place the light where it is needed, carefully limiting spillage to the adjacent environment and the night sky. The less environmentally sensitive low-pressure sodium lighting is generally no longer installed by the Agency.

Major Improvement Projects

George Howarth: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list decisions on major transport projects over £5 million made by the Department since May, broken down by region.

Karen Buck: Outside London the only decisions taken on major transport projects over £5 million since May relate to Local Transport Plan major projects and schemes on the strategic road network. There are broadly two different types of decisions taken on major transport projects—decisions whether to grant funding and whether to grant statutory powers. Within the category of funding decisions, we would include decisions on programme entry, conditional approval and full approval. In terms of the statutory powers, these include Transport and Works Act orders, local road and trunk road orders.
	These two types of decisions are taken separately, through independent processes and one decision does not pre-empt the other. We have included both types of decision in this answer, and have set out the information on a regional basis, as follows. Where the project has been approved, the figures quoted relate to the cost to the Department. All figures have been rounded to the nearest £ million.
	East of England
	Funding decisions
	On 18 October, the Papworth Everand Bypass (Cambridgeshire CC) was granted full approval at a total cost of £9 million.
	Statutory powers decisions
	On 25 August, Luton borough council had orders confirmed in respect of East Luton Corridor Improvement A1081/A505 Airport Way and Connecting Roads and A505 Kimpton Road.
	East Midlands
	Funding decisions
	On 26 July, the Oakham Bypass (Rutland CC) was fully approved at a cost of £10 million.
	Statutory powers decisions
	On 5 July, Derbyshire county council had orders confirmed in respect of Ilkeston-Awsworth Link Road/Erewash Canal Bridge.
	On 28 July, Nottinghamshire county council had orders confirmed in respect of A612 Gedling Transport Improvement Scheme.
	On 31 October, Lincolnshire county council had orders confirmed in respect of the A158 Burgh le Marsh Bypass.
	North East
	Funding decisions
	The Pegswood Bypass (Northumberland CC) was given full approval on 18 October at a cost of £8 million.
	Statutory powers decisions
	The River Tyne (Tunnels) Order 2005, was made on 5 August, and authorises a new road tunnel across the river Tyne.
	On 8 June, the City of Sunderland had orders confirmed in respect of the Central Route scheme—A182 and A1191.
	North West
	Funding decisions
	On 17 October, the Blackbrook Diversion (St. Helen's) was granted full approval at a cost of £9 million.
	Conditional approval granted on 30 June for funding renewals and capacity enhancements on the existing system of Manchester Metrolink. Government are funding up to £58 million towards total cost of £102 million for the scheme.
	On 13 June, a decision was announced which was that full approval could not be given to Merseytram Line 1, due to cost increases, but that £170 million of Government funding remained available if the scheme could be delivered for that cost.
	Statutory powers decisions
	The Greater Manchester (Leigh Busway) Order 2005 was made on 13 July, and this authorises a new guided busway between Leigh and Ellenbrook in Greater Manchester.
	South East
	Funding decisions
	On 26 July, East Kent Access Phase 1 (Kent CC) was granted full approval at a cost of £18 million.
	Statutory powers decisions
	On 26 September a decision authorised the making of published draft orders issued on 2005 in respect of the A2 Widening (Phase 2) Pepperhill to Cobham.
	On 8 June a decision was issued which authorised the making of part Orders outstanding from the main decision issued on 27 August in relation to the A2/A282/M25 (J2)—Dartford Improvement.
	South West
	Funding decisions
	No funding decisions on transport projects have been taken in the South West since May.
	Statutory powers decisions
	No statutory powers decisions on transport projects have been taken in the South West since May.
	West Midlands
	Funding decisions
	No funding decisions on transport projects have been taken in the West Midlands since May.
	Statutory powers decisions
	On 1 July, the Midland Metro (Birmingham City Centre Extension) Order 2005 was made, which authorises an extension of the existing Midland Metro from Snow Hill to Edgbaston.
	On 10 June, Herefordshire county council had orders confirmed in respect of A4103 Roman Road/A480 Skew Bridge Stretton.
	Yorkshire and Humber
	Funding decisions
	On 3 November, decision announced that the Government could not support proposals to re-instate the Leeds Supertram scheme that have been put forward by West Yorkshire PTE following the withdrawal of funding for the tram proposal in July 2004. (The schemes value is estimated at £486 million at current prices.)
	On 26 July, the A165 Reighton Bypass (North Yorkshire CC) was granted full approval at a cost of £7 million.
	On 15 June, the Barnsley Interchange (SYPTE) was granted full approval at a cost of £18 million.
	Statutory powers decisions
	No statutory powers decisions on transport projects have been taken in Yorkshire and Humber since May.
	The Department has not taken any funding decisions on national transport projects in London since May. However, Transport for London would have information about other transport projects in London. There have been two decisions on statutory powers which are listed:
	On 4 November, The Docklands Light Railway (Capacity Enhancement) Order 2005 was made, which authorises works to upgrade the DLR between Bank and Lewisham to take three car trains.
	On 20 June, an Order that sought authorisation to reconstruct Camden Town underground station in London, the proposed 'London Underground (Camden Town Station) Order 1, was rejected.

Ports Policy

Vera Baird: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when Ministers expect (a) to complete their considerations on individual applications for major port developments and (b) announce their decisions.

Stephen Ladyman: Ministers announced in July 2005 that they were minded to approve the proposal for the London Gateway port development at Shellhaven, subject to clarification of a number of issues. The outcome of our consideration of these issues will be announced in due course. The Department has received reports of public inquiries into proposed ports developments at Bathside Bay, Harwich, and at Felixstowe South. These are under consideration, and announcements will be made as soon as possible.

Public Service Agreements

Philip Hammond: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what data sets will be used to measure progress against the need to tackle the significantly higher incidence of road accidents, deaths and injuries in disadvantaged communities as required in 2004 public service agreement target number 5.

Stephen Ladyman: Performance against the target is measured using the police data on all reported road accidents that involve human injury. The measure used will be the percentage reduction in the number of road deaths and injuries for the 88 local councils that are eligible to receive Neighbourhood Renewal Funding (NRF), compared to that for England as a whole.
	The baseline is the average for the period 1999 to 2001, and the target will be judged against 2005 casualty data.

Railways

John Hayes: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make a statement on plans for next-generation trains.

Derek Twigg: The next generation of trains must aim for improved energy efficiency and reliability, without compromising safety and comfort. The new trains just ordered for high speed commuter services into Kent will bring some of the technologies used successfully in Japan. The high speed trains on Great Western, East Coast and Midland lines will need replacing within the next 10–15 years, and the specification for these is being developed. Beyond that, a large number of diesel and electric trains for regional and local services all built in the late 1980s will need replacing by the mid 2020s.

Railways

John McDonnell: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what total costs have been incurred by the Government and Government agencies in the franchising and tendering of passenger rail services since April 2004.

Derek Twigg: Costs incurred in the specification and tendering of passenger franchise services since April 2004 are £14.4 million.

Railways

Gwyneth Dunwoody: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many rail carriages on average were attached to a passenger train in the United Kingdom in each year between 1994 and 2004, broken down by (a) region and (b) train operating company where applicable.

Derek Twigg: This information is not held centrally by the Department and can be provided only at a disproportionate cost.

Railways

Gwyneth Dunwoody: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many train warranties expired in each year between 1994 and 2004; how many train warranties will expire in each year between 2005 and 2010; and if he will make a statement.

Derek Twigg: Warranties on new trains cover a wide range of systems and components, often with differing warranty periods. It is not therefore possible to say simply that the warranty on a particular train expires on a specific date.

Renewable Transport Fuels Obligation

Anthony D Wright: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport 
	(1)  what measures he is taking to ensure that the production of ethanol to meet obligations under the Renewable Transport Fuels Obligation (a) is environmentally friendly, (b) is sustainable and (c) does not lead to significant carbon dioxide output; and if he will make a statement;
	(2)  what estimate he has made of the quantity of feedstock used in the production of ethanol to meet obligations under the Renewable Transport Fuels Obligation which is (a) imported into the United Kingdom and (b) grown in the United Kingdom; and if he will make a statement;
	(3)  what estimate he has made of the change in UK carbon dioxide emissions as a result of the introduction of the Renewable Transport Fuels Obligation.

Stephen Ladyman: As set out in the Secretary of State's Written Statement of 10 November, we anticipate that the Obligation will deliver around one million tonnes of carbon saving per annum once it reaches 5 per cent. of all transport fuels. We are developing carbon and sustainability assurance schemes and companies will be required, to report on the sustainability and carbon savings associated with the fuels they have used to fulfil their requirements under the Obligation.
	We anticipate that the feedstocks for the biofuels will come from both the UK and abroad. The relative proportions will depend on a range of factors including international supply and demand and support systems in other countries. The UK currently exports around three million tonnes of wheat per annum, which, if it were processed into bioethanol, could make up 5 per cent. of all petrol sales.
	Analysis on the anticipated costs, benefits, risks and opportunities associated with an obligation are set out in a detailed feasibility study and regulatory impact assessment. These are both available in the House Library and via the Department for Transport's website.

Road Accidents

Gwyneth Dunwoody: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what the estimated total cost of road accidents in England was in each year between 1994 and 2004.

Stephen Ladyman: While the Department for Transport does not hold information on actual costs incurred as the result of road accidents, it does estimate the value of prevention of road accidents in its annually published Highways Economics Note No.1". Estimates for the total value of prevention of all road accidents 1994 to 2004 are as follows:
	
		
			  Estimated total cost (£ million) 
		
		
			 2004 18,004 
			 2003 18,094 
			 2002 17,760 
			 2001 17,420 
			 2000 16,959 
			 1999 16,280 
			 1998 15,960 
			 1997 14,814 
			 1996 13,920 
			 1995 13,280 
			 1994 13,030

Road Accidents

Bill Wiggin: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what his most recent estimate is of the average cost to public funds of (a) a non-fatal and (b) a fatal road traffic accident.

Stephen Ladyman: The values used to estimate the benefits of the prevention of road accidents are set out in the Highways Economic Note No. 1: 2002 Valuation of the Benefits of Prevention of Road Accidents and Casualties" which can be found on the DfT website at:
	http://www.dft.gov.uk/stellent/groups/dft_rdsafety/documents/divisionhomepage/030763.hcsp
	The average values, based on 2002 casualty data, were (a) serious injury £168,260 and slight injury £16,750 and (b) fatal £1,447,490. These amounts are the values to be used in the appraisal of road traffic schemes. They take account of lost output (which includes any non-wage payments paid by the employer), medical and ambulance costs, human costs based on willingness to pay values representing pain, grief and suffering, the costs of policing, insurance and administrative costs and damage to property.
	Included within these vales are the costs to public funds for medical, ambulance and police costs. In 2002 prices the average cost was for fatal £6,860, serious £11,900 and slight £1,020. Some element of the lost output cost would also be considered as a cost to public funds. In 2002 prices the average costs were £479,750, £19,520 and £2,320 for fatal, serious and slight accidents respectively.
	Up-rating these figures using 2004 casualty data to 2004 prices gives average values for the prevention of accidents as (a) serious injury £184,269 and slight injury £18,496 and (b) fatal £1,573,217. The average cost in 2004 prices of the lost output element of accident prevention costs were for fatal £522,639, serious £21,379 and slight £2,550. The average medical, ambulance and police costs in 2004 prices were for fatal £7,076, serious £13,025 and slight £1,131.

Road Accidents

Gwyneth Dunwoody: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport in how many (a) road accidents and (b) fatal road accidents (i) speed and (ii) drink driving was (A) the leading contributory factor and (B) a contributory factor in each year between 1994 and 2004.

Stephen Ladyman: Prior to 2005, information regarding contributory factors to accidents was not routinely collected as part of the accident report process. However under a pilot scheme, 15 police forces have collected data on contributory factors to accidents from 1999 onwards allowing an estimate of the presence of these factors in accidents Great Britain to be made. Up to four contributory factors can be assigned to an accident but are given equal merit, and as such we do not have data on leading contributory factors to accidents. The table shows the estimated proportion of fatal and all accidents where excessive speed was deemed to be a contributory factor, based on accidents occurring in the 15 police force areas.
	
		Estimated(8) proportion of fatal and all accidents with excessive speed assigned as a contributory factor
		
			  Fatal accidents All accidents 
		
		
			 1999 29 12 
			 2000 26 12 
			 2001 27 12 
			 2002 30 13 
			 2003 30 14 
			 2004 34 13 
			 1999–2004 29 13 
		
	
	(8) Estimates are based on data from the pilot contributory factors scheme.
	The estimates for the number of fatal and all personal injury road accidents involving illegal alcohol levels for 1999–2004 are given in the table. The estimates for 2004 are provisional.
	
		
			  Fatal accidents All accidents 
		
		
			 1999 400 11,050 
			 2000 450 11,800 
			 2001 470 12,270 
			 2002 480 13,150 
			 2003 500 12,400 
			 2004(9) 530 11,220 
		
	
	(9) Provisional data. The sample of fatality data from Coroners for 2003 has now been finalised but 2004 estimates are based on a reduced sample of coroners' returns and may be biased. They remain provisional until more complete information for 2004 is available.

Road Freight Traffic

Philip Hollobone: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what proportion of road freight traffic was the transport of food products in each of the last five years.

Stephen Ladyman: The following table contains estimates for transport of food products as a proportion of total kilometres travelled by GB freight.
	
		Food industry HGV kilometres
		
			 Billion 
			  2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 
		
		
			 Total HGV Kms 23.0 22.2 22.2 22.2 22.3 
			   
			 Food Products Kms 4.7 4.2 4.3 4.2 4.2 
			 Food Products/Total Kms (percentage) 20 19 19 19 19 
			   
			 Packaging Kms 1.0 1.0 1.1 1.1 1.1 
			 Packaging/Total Kms (percentage) 4 5 5 5 5 
			   
			 Fertiliser and Animal Fodder Kms 0.3 0.3 0.3 0.3 0.3 
			 Fertiliser and Animal Fodder/Total Kms (percentage) 1 1 1 1 1 
			   
			 Total Food Industry Kms 6.0 5.5 5.7 5.6 5.6 
			 Total Food Industry/Total Kms (percentage) 26 25 26 25 25 
		
	
	Source:
	Continuing Survey of Road Goods Transport, DfT

Road Gritting

Martin Horwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what guidance he has issued on (a) how frequently roads should be gritted during a prolonged period of cold weather and (b) the trigger for gritting to take place; and if he will make a statement.

Stephen Ladyman: The guidance on how frequently roads should be gritted, and when, is the same during a period of prolonged cold weather as it is at any other time in winter.
	The starting point for the Highways Agency's service providers on the motorway and trunk road network is the Trunk Road Maintenance Manual, which gives advice on the method and timing of treatment to prevent ice forming and on dealing with snow. Service providers have the opportunity to use different methods and timings providing they can demonstrate an improved service to achieve the overall objective of keeping the roads free from ice and snow.
	For local roads, there is detailed advice on winter service in Section 13 of Well-Maintained Highways; Code of Practice for Highway Maintenance Management, published by the UK Roads Liaison Group in July this year. Among other things, this code advises authorities to formally approve, adopt, and publish, in consultation with users and key stakeholders, a Winter Service Operational Plan, based on the principles of the code. The Department of Transport strongly recommends the code to local authorities.

Road Safety

Gwyneth Dunwoody: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what the average fatality rate was of pedestrians involved in a motor vehicle accident where the vehicle was moving at (a) 30 mph and (b) 40 mph for each year between 1994 and 2004.

Stephen Ladyman: In 1979 Aston and Mackay calculated that, as a general rule, an adult pedestrian hit by a vehicle travelling at 30 mph has a 1 in 5 (20 per cent.) chance of being killed, and that a pedestrian hit by a vehicle travelling at 40 mph has a 9 in 10 (90 per cent.) chance of being killed. A child pedestrian hit by a vehicle travelling at 40 mph has a 4 in 5 (80 per cent.) chance of being killed.

Road Safety

Gwyneth Dunwoody: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport on what percentage of persistently high risk roads, as defined by the European Road Assessment Programme, speed cameras were installed in each year between 1994 and 2004.

Stephen Ladyman: The results of the European Road Assessment Programme (EuroRAP) 2004 report on British roads identified 11 stretches of road as being persistently high risk" based upon casualty data for 1997–99 and 2000–02. The length of these stretches varies between 13 kmh and 56 kmh.
	Our records show that cameras operating within the National Safety Camera Programme have been deployed at individual locations on 10 out of 11 of the persistently high risk roads identified.

Road Safety

Gwyneth Dunwoody: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what assessment he has made of whether clearly marked speed cameras are reducing (a) road accidents and (b) fatalities.

Stephen Ladyman: The objective of the national safety camera programme is to reduce excessive speeds, injuries arid crashes at camera sites. All cameras operating within the programme have been required to be highly visible and clearly signed since 1 June 2002. No specific assessment has been made of the extent to which this change has contributed to the effectiveness of the programme. However the independent 3-year evaluation report of the programme covering all cameras operating between April 2000 to March 2003 concluded that there had been a 33 per cent. reduction in personal injury collisions and a 40 per cent. reduction in fatalities at camera sites Assessment of the programme over the period April 2000 to March 2004 will be contained in the 4-year evaluation report which will be published shortly.

Road Safety

Gwyneth Dunwoody: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what the criterion is for the percentage of drivers exceeding the speed limit, excluding congestion periods, before (a) a fixed speed camera is installed and (b) a mobile speed camera is used.

Stephen Ladyman: The criteria for the percentage of drivers exceeding the speed limit, excluding congestion periods, before either a fixed or mobile safety camera is installed is that at least 20 per cent. of drivers are exceeding the speed limit. In addition speed surveys must show that free flow 85th percentile speed is at or above the ACPO enforcement threshold.

Road Safety

Gwyneth Dunwoody: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what assessment he has made of the impact on road safety of speed cameras between 1994 and 2004; and what (a) long-term trends and (b) seasonal variations have been recorded.

Stephen Ladyman: The following independent evaluations have been undertaken for the Department and are available in the Library of the House, and on the Department's website:
	A cost recovery system for speed and red-light cameras—two year pilot evaluation (11 February 2003), and
	The national safety camera programme—Three year evaluation report (15 June 2004).
	West London speed camera demonstration project (5 August 2003)
	A four year evaluation report has also been commissioned and is expected shortly.
	The two evaluations of the national programme assessed the effectiveness of cameras using a statistical model, in which the effects of long-term trends and seasonal variations were among many different parameters. Full details of the modelling approach are included in the Appendices to these reports.
	In respect of the two year report, the statistical model shows that in Great Britain prior to the study period there was a national trend of over 4.5 per cent. per annum reduction in the number of people killed or seriously injured (KSI) and a 0.75 per cent. per annum reduction in personal injury collisions (PIC). The assessment concluded that even after taking these national trends into account there was a 35 per cent. reduction in the number of KSIs and a 6 per cent. reduction in the number of PICs at camera sites.
	The statistical model also shows that the frequency of KSI casualties for the whole of Great Britain increases from quarter to quarter through the year, with those during the first quarter of each year (January to March) being about 10 per cent. less than that during the last quarter (October to December) of the same year. The model did not assess seasonal variations relating directly to the camera sites.
	In respect of the three year report, the statistical model shows that in Great Britain over the study period there was a national trend of a little over 4 per cent. per annum reduction in the number of people killed or seriously injured (KSI) and a 1.5 per cent. per annum reduction in personal injury collisions (PIC). The assessment concluded that even after taking these national trends into account there was a 40 per cent. reduction in the number of KSIs and a 33 per cent. reduction in the number of PICs at camera sites.
	The statistical model also shows that in urban areas the frequency of KSI casualties for the whole of Great Britain increases from quarter to quarter through the year, and that rural areas have a peak in quarter three. The model did not assess seasonal variations relating directly to the camera sites.

Road Safety

Gwyneth Dunwoody: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many fixed speed cameras the Government intend to install in England in each of the next five years.

Stephen Ladyman: The Government do not intend to install any fixed speed cameras in England in each of the next five years. Speed cameras are installed by the local highway authority as the appropriate solution to a road casualty problem following their investigation of that problem. It is not possible to predict in advance where these road casualty problems may arise. Any speed cameras proposed as part of the national safety camera programme will need to meet the site selection rules that apply at the time before being considered for approval as part of the programme.

Road Safety

Anne Milton: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what representations he has received from (a) road safety groups and (b) police authorities about the reduction of speed limits in villages and outside schools; and what assessment he has made of the potential impact of the reduction in speed limits (a) in villages, (ii) outside schools and (iii) in residential areas from 30 mph to 20 mph on the incidence of accidents.

Stephen Ladyman: The Department receives occasional representation from road safety groups in support of reduced speed limits, including in villages and outside schools. No such representations have been received from the police at the national level, although we are aware that many police authorities support these measures at the local level.
	The Department has not undertaken specific assessment of the reduction of speed limits in villages and outside schools. However, research shows a clear link between reducing vehicle speed and accident reduction, with a 1 mph reduction in average speed expected to lower accident frequency by 5 per cent. It also shows that 20 mph zones and 20 mph speed limits can be effective at reducing collisions and injuries in the right situation, in particular when accompanied by traffic calming measures.
	Local authorities already have the powers under section 84 of the Road Traffic Regulation Act 1984 to introduce local speed limits, including 20 mph, if they believe it appropriate to do so. The Department encourages their implementation in areas where vulnerable road users are present, particularly around schools.

Road Safety

Gwyneth Dunwoody: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what percentage of the road network in England had its speed limits enforced by active speed cameras in each year between 1994 and 2004.

Stephen Ladyman: The Department does not hold this information.

Road Safety

Gwyneth Dunwoody: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of (a) fixed speed cameras and (b) mobile speed cameras; and what criteria he uses to assess effectiveness.

Stephen Ladyman: The independent 3-year evaluation report of the national safety camera programme assessed the effectiveness of both fixed and mobile cameras using the criteria of reductions in speed and casualties at camera sites. The evaluation concluded that both types of camera were effective in both respects. Fixed cameras had, on the whole, a greater effect in reducing speeding than mobile cameras, reflecting the fact that fixed cameras affect driving behaviour all the time, whereas mobile cameras operate periodically at each location.

Road Safety

Gwyneth Dunwoody: To ask the Secretary of State forTransport how many Safety Camera Partnerships there were in England in each year between 1994 and 2004.

Stephen Ladyman: The first Safety Camera Partnerships were formed in 2000. Their numbers for England for each year are as follows:
	
		
			  Number 
		
		
			 April 2000 6 
			 October 2001 12 
			 April 2002 20 
			 October 2002 26 
			 April 2003 33 
			 April 2005 36 
		
	
	Note:
	In 2005, Avon Somerset and Gloucestershire which joined in 2002 split into Avon and Somerset, and Gloucestershire.

Road Safety

Gwyneth Dunwoody: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what guidance he issues on the minimum number of persons that must be killed or seriously injured at a given site before (a) a fixed speed camera and (b) a mobile speed camera can be installed.

Stephen Ladyman: The casualty criteria that must be met before a fixed or mobile speed camera is installed is set out in the Handbook of Rules and Guidance for the National Safety Camera Programme for England and Wales for 2005/06. For fixed camera sites this is at least four killed or seriously injured collisions per site kilometre in the 36 months that forms the baseline period. For mobile camera sites it is at least two killed or seriously injured collisions per site kilometre in the baseline period.

Road Safety

Gwyneth Dunwoody: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what the criteria are for the placement of a fixed speed camera.

Stephen Ladyman: The handbook of Rules and Guidance for the National Safety Camera Programme for England and Wales 2005/06 sets out the rules for core fixed speed camera sites operating within the Programme. Definitions of terms used are contained in the handbook but in summary the rules are:
	
		
			 Rules for proposed core sites Fixed camera sites 
		
		
			 Site length requirements Between 0.4 and 1.5 km 
			 Number of fatal and serious collisions (KSIs) At least 4 KSI collisions per km in the baseline period 
			 85th percentile speed at proposed sites Speed survey shows free-flow 85th percentile speed is at or above ACPO threshold 
			 Percentage over the speed limit At least 20 per cent. of drivers are exceeding the speed limit, excluding congestion periods 
			 Site conditions that are suitable for the type of enforcement proposed Loading and unloading of camera can take place safely 
			 No other engineering solutions can be .implemented There has been a site survey carried out by a road safety engineer confirming that no other cost effective engineering solution can be implemented to improve road safety along this stretch of road.

Road Safety

Gwyneth Dunwoody: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many and what percentage of fixed speed cameras were located on roads with (i) a 30 mph speed limit and (ii) a 40 mph speed limit in each year between 1994 and 2004.

Stephen Ladyman: The number and percentage of fixed speed cameras newly installed in each year on roads with a 30 mph or 40 mph speed limit from 1994 to 2004 is shown in the following table:
	
		
			  Number of fixed speed cameras installed in each year Percentage of fixed speed cameras installed in each year 
			  In a 30 mph speed limit In a 40 mph speed limit Total for all speed limits In a 30 mph speed limit In a 40 mph speed limit 
		
		
			 1994 27 20 54 50 37 
			 1995 78 34 133 59 26 
			 1996 86 37 146 59 25 
			 1997 83 43 160 52 27 
			 1998 117 56 221 53 25 
			 1999 94 59 183 51 32 
			 2000 108 41 172 63 24 
			 2001 139 34 200 70 17 
			 2002 160 39 245 65 16 
			 2003 227 50 312 73 16 
			 2004 230 43 304 76 14

Stone Mastic Asphalt

Bill Wiggin: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what the cost is of a top dressing of grit on newly-laid stone mastic asphalt.

Stephen Ladyman: Some local authorities use stone mastic asphalt material (SMA) with a top dressing of grit on their roads at their discretion. The costs of application are not held centrally.
	The Highways Agency does not allow the use of SMA on trunk roads including motorways.

Stone Mastic Asphalt

Bill Wiggin: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what research he has (a) commissioned and (b) evaluated on whether stone mastic asphalt reacts with (i) diesel, (ii) oil (iii) hydraulic fluid and (iv) pre-wetted salt.

Stephen Ladyman: No specific research has been commissioned nor any evaluation carried out on how stone mastic asphalt reacts with (a) contaminants such as diesel, oil and hydraulic fluids and (b) with the use of pre-wetted salt. However, a report on research into the affects of contaminants on road surfaces in general, jointly funded by the Highways Agency and the Institute of Accident Investigators entitled 'Friction Tests on Contaminated Surfaces' is planned for publication in late December 2005. The Highways Agency does not allow the use of stone mastic asphalt on trunk roads including motorways.

Stone Mastic Asphalt

Bill Wiggin: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what recent research his Department has undertaken on the coefficient of friction of stone mastic asphalt with regard to motorbikes.

Stephen Ladyman: No specific research has been undertaken on the coefficient of friction of stone mastic asphalt with regard to motorbikes. Development of the UK standards for the measurement of road surface friction has been based on research that is applicable to motorised vehicles in general.

Transport Staff (Abuse)

Alan Duncan: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many reported incidents of (a) verbal abuse and (b) physical attack on bus drivers and conductors there have been in each year since 1997.

Karen Buck: The Department does not collect statistics on the number of incidents of verbal assault. The following table shows the reported number of assaults on bus crews, including conductors and inspectors, in Great Britain up to 2003. The Department no longer collects data on such assaults outside London given serious problems with the quality and robustness of the data received. We are working to find more reliable methods of monitoring and recording incidents of crime on buses.
	
		Assaults on bus crews, Great Britain
		
			  Number 
		
		
			 1993 1,492 
			 1994 1,562 
			 1995 1,938 
			 1996 2,154 
			 1997 1,899 
			 1998 1,594 
			 1999 1,680 
			 2000(10) 1,260 
			 2001 2,638 
			 2002 2,874 
			 2003 2,295 
		
	
	(10) Data considered unreliable owing to poor level of reporting.
	Sources:
	London: TfL reports for the bus operators under its contracts.
	Outside London: a panel of large bus operators selected by DfT.

WORK AND PENSIONS

Community Programme for Employment and Social Solidarity.

Michael Penning: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will make a statement on his Department's policy on the development of a new Community Programme for Employment and Social Solidarity.

James Plaskitt: The UK, along with other member states, supports the need for this successor EU-level spending programme for the period 2007–13, which will provide financial support for the implementation of the Community's objectives for employment and social affairs and the achievement of the Lisbon goals. It will replace existing programmes to: promote measures to combat direct or indirect discrimination based on racial or ethnic origin, religion or belief, disability, age or sexual orientation; promote gender equality; support analysis, research and cooperation between member states in employment and labour market matters; and encourage cooperation between member states to combat social exclusion. The new programme does not propose a range of specific projects, but rather provides a framework to support EU-level actions under the areas covered, such as developing statistical tools, sharing of best practice, awareness-raising campaigns and support for organisations operating in the relevant fields.

Pensions

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions when he expects to make an announcement on the application of the Financial Assistance Scheme to those not covered in the first tranche of awards who have lost their pension due to the liquidation of their company pension fund.

Stephen Timms: The departmental website is continually updated to show pension schemes which are assessed as qualifying for the Financial Assistance Scheme. We have made a commitment to review the operation and funding of the Financial Assistance Scheme, alongside other spending priorities, in the next spending review.

Pensions

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what his latest estimate is of the expenditure on national insurance rebates for those contracted out of the state second pension for (a) the next five years, (b) 2020, (c) 2030, (d) 2040 and (e) 2050.

Stephen Timms: The information is in the table:
	
		Estimated cost of national insurance contribution rebates
		
			 £ million 
			  Occupational schemes 
			 Tax year Defined benefit Defined contribution Personal pension and stakeholder pension schemes Total 
		
		
			 2006–07 7,000 600 3,600 11,200 
			 2007–08 6,300 600 3,600 10,500 
			 2008–09 6,300 600 3,700 10,500 
			 2009–10 6,300 600 3,700 10,600 
			 2010–11 6,300 500 3,700 10,600 
			 2020–21 6,100 400 3,900 10,400 
			 2030–31 6,000 400 3,500 9,900 
			 2040–41 6,300 400 3,700 10,400 
			 2050–51 6,500 400 4,400 11,300 
		
	
	Notes:
	1. Figures are based on the December 2004 'Update of the Quinquennial Review of the National Insurance Fund' and are therefore based on the latest published figures which are projected far enough into the future.
	2. Figures use rebate rates calculated on the assumptions underlying the current rebates which have now been superseded by the Government Actuary's consultation document published in September.
	3. Figures cover Great Britain only.
	4. Due to rounding figures in the 'Total' column do not always sum.
	5. Figures are rounded to the nearest £100 million.
	6. Figures are on an accruals basis and are in constant 2005–06 price terms.
	Source:
	Government Actuary's Department.

Pensions

Ian Taylor: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many complaints have been received against the Pensions Ombudsman in each of the last three years.

Stephen Timms: The Pensions Ombudsman's aim in response to a complaint is to send a full reply within seven working days. Where a complaint cannot be resolved it may be referred by an hon. Member to the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman. The number of complaints that were referred is in the following table:
	
		
			  Number of complaints referred 
		
		
			 2002–03 11 
			 2003–04 6 
			 2004–05 13

Pensions

Jennifer Willott: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions 
	(1)  whether enough information was gathered on the Universal Vehicle Group Pension Scheme during the 2004 data collection exercise to determine whether or not its members were eligible for the Financial Assistance Scheme; and if he will make a statement;
	(2)  whether current information held by his Department on the Universal Vehicle Group Pension Scheme is sufficient for its members to qualify for the Financial Assistance Scheme; and if he will make a statement.

Stephen Timms: No. Minimal information on the Universal Vehicle Group Pension Scheme was provided during the 2004 data collection exercise. The Department sent the scheme administrators a notification and qualification form on 1 September 2005, which needs completing, signing and returning before the Department can decide whether the scheme is a qualifying pension scheme for the purposes of the Financial Assistance Scheme. The Department has since been in contact with the administrators who have confirmed that the form has been forwarded onto the trustees, who have until the end of the notification period—28 February 2006—to return part A (notification details) of the form.

DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER

Cabinet Meetings

Sarah Teather: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what criteria will be used to decide which Cabinet Minister in his Department will speak on issues concerning his Department at meetings of the Cabinet.

Jim Fitzpatrick: As members of the Cabinet, both my right hon. Friends can and do speak on a wide range of issues discussed by Cabinet.

Council Tax

Bob Spink: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister whatassessment he has made of the impact of council tax increases on pensioners; and if he will make a statement.

Phil Woolas: The Government recognise the concerns of many pensioners, particularly those on low or fixed incomes, about council tax. This Government have already taken action to improve pensioner incomes, spending nearly £11 billion extra on pensioners in 2005–06 compared to 1997 as a result of measures we have introduced since then. On average, after allowing for inflation, pensioner households are about £1,500 better off this year than they would have been under the system which operated in 1997. The least well-off third of pensioner households are, on average, £2,000 better off.
	Help with council tax bills is available for those who are least well off through council tax benefit (CTB). Nearly two and a half million people aged 60 or over now benefit, though the Government are concerned that many pensioners do not claim their entitlement. The Department for Work and Pensions is taking active measures to ensure that people are made aware of CTB and are encouraged to take up their entitlement.
	The Government are providing additional money to pensioners specifically to help them pay their council tax bills. We gave £100 to households with someone 70 or over in 2004–05. In 2005–06 households with someone aged 65 or over are receiving £200, usually with their with winter fuel payment, unless they are receiving; the guarantee credit element of pension credit (people getting the guarantee credit element of pension credit are already entitled to up to a 100 per cent. rebate on their council tax bills). Households with someone aged 70 or over getting the guarantee credit element of pension credit are receiving £50 to help with living costs.
	While no decisions have been taken on capping in 2006–07 and beyond, we will not hesitate to use our capping powers to protect council taxpayers from excessive council tax rises in the future. In 2003–04, the last year in which capping was not undertaken, the average council tax increase in England was 12.9 per cent. This fell to 5.9 per cent. in 2004–05 and again to 4.1 per cent. in 2005–06.
	Sir Michael Lyons is currently conducting an Inquiry into the financing of local government in the context of its wider functions and future role. He is aware of the widespread concerns about how the current council tax system affects pensioners and others on low and fixed incomes. Sir Michael is due to report before the end of 2006 and the Government will carefully consider his recommendations.

Council Tax

Michael Penning: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what proportion of spending by (a) Hertfordshire county council and (b) Dacorum borough council has been financed from council tax in each year since 1st January 1996.

Phil Woolas: The percentage of Revenue Expenditure by Hertfordshire county council and Dacorum borough council that has been financed from council tax in each financial year since 1 January 1996 is tabled as follows:
	
		Percentage
		
			  Hertfordshire Dacorum 
		
		
			 1996–97 26.6 32.4 
			 1997–98 27.4 30.2 
			 1998–99 29.7 42.3 
			 1999–2000 30.7 28.0 
			 2000–01 29.9 37.6 
			 2001–02 29.9 33.7 
			 2002–03 31.5 39.7 
			 2003–04 33.3 39.6 
			 2004–05 32.2 45.0 
			 2005–06 31.7 46.3 
		
	
	The data are as reported by local authorities and are taken from Revenue Summary (RS) returns for 1996–97 to 2003–04, and Revenue Account budget (RA) returns for 2004–05 and 2005–06.
	The definition of council expenditure used here is that expenditure funded from Aggregate External Finance (AEF), council tax and authorities' reserves.
	Comparisons across years may not be valid due to changes in the method of reporting the information. In particular, the outturn data for 1996–97 to 2002–03 have been calculated on a non-FRS (Financial Reporting Standard) 17 basis while the outturn data for 2003–04 has been calculated on an FRS 17 basis. The budget data for 2004–05 and 2005–06 are a mix of FRS 17 and non-FRS 17. This is because for their 2004–05 and 2005–06 budget forms local authorities, after consultation, were given the option to complete their forms either on a non-FRS 17 basis or on an FRS 17 basis. Hence, figures for different years may not be directly comparable.

Council Tax

Sarah Teather: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister whether former residents of a dwelling can be required to give information about that dwelling for the purposes of a valuation of a property for council tax purposes.

Phil Woolas: holding answer 21 November 2005
	Under Section 27(2) of the Local Government Finance Act 1992 former owners or occupiers of a dwelling can be required to give valuation officers information about that dwelling.
	However, in practice, listing officers of the Valuation Office Agency will only need to discuss information about a dwelling with a former owner or occupier if (a) that person has an outstanding council tax appeal relating to a dwelling he or she previously owned or occupied or (b) to find out when a dwelling was constructed or adapted into a separate dwelling if this took place before the present occupier took up occupation.

Firefighters

Edward Balls: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what protection is available for firefighters in England who are attacked in execution of their duty.

Jim Fitzpatrick: Firefighters enjoy the same legal protection from violence as anyone else. The criminal law already contains a wide range of power to deal with violent behaviour. There is a hierarchy of offences against the person where injury results, ranging from grievous bodily harm through actual bodily harm to common law offences of assault and battery, depending on the injuries inflicted. Courts have the power to impose the appropriate sentence, taking into account all the circumstances of a particular case. It is to be expected that the Courts would regard attacks on emergency personnel in the execution of their duty as being particularly serious offences. Maximum penalties for offences of violence range from six months for common assault to life imprisonment for causing grievous bodily harm with intent.
	The Fire and Rescue Services seek to assess and manage the risk of potential attack in the execution of their duties. Fire and Rescue Services will ask the Police to attend any incident that would be considered threatening to the fire crew and are encouraged to report any incidents so that prosecution can be brought forward where appropriate.
	Fire and Rescue Services are also introducing preventative measures such as video cameras in the cabs of appliances to help identify offenders.

Housing

Andrew Dismore: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister howmany registered social landlord properties were sold on the open market other than to tenants in each of the last five years (a) in London and (b) in each English region.

Yvette Cooper: The following table gives the numbers of homes disposed of by Registered Social Landlords on the open market or at auction each year for the past five years. These data are not recorded on a regional basis and may include open market disposals to tenants. However all these sales were at market value, that is, they do not include any disposals made to tenants at any discount under schemes such as Right to Buy or Right to Acquire.
	
		
			 Financial year Number of homes 
		
		
			 2000–01 3,563 
			 2001–02 2,974 
			 2002–03 2,083 
			 2003–04 4,111 
			 2004–05 5,950 
			 Total 18,681 
		
	
	Source:
	Housing Corporation

Housing

Sarah Teather: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister if he will require English Partnerships to make a commitment to deliver social rented housing on the 17 sites being made available under the London Wide Initiative.

Yvette Cooper: Any development undertaken on the sites used for the London Wide Initiative will be subject to the normal planning regime. Work is continuing between English Partnerships, its development partners and the relevant local authorities on the total mix of houses on each site. This will be in accordance with respective local authorities' planning policies and agreed planning obligations. The sites will therefore provide social rented housing in accordance with housing need.

Housing

Sarah Teather: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister if he will place in the Library copies of each regional housing board's recommended investment strategy for 2006 to 2008.

Yvette Cooper: Copies have been made available in the Library of the House.

Local Government Finance

Andrew Turner: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister pursuant to the answer of 15 November 2005,Official Report, column 1121W, when the information to which the answer refers will be placed in the Library.

Phil Woolas: The information has now been deposited in the Library of the House.

Ministerial Meetings

Sarah Teather: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister how many meetings concerning issues for which his Department is responsible (a) he has, (b) the Minister of Communities and Local Government has and (c) both have attended since May.

Jim Fitzpatrick: Both of my right hon. Friends have a wide range of meetings in their roles as departmental Ministers and constituency MPs. The topics covered by these meetings are many and varied.

Non-departmental Public Bodies

David Amess: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister which of the advisory non-departmental public bodies sponsored by his Department (a) have a statutory base, (b) publish their advice to Government, (c) publish an annual report and (d) lay an annual report before Parliament; and whether this is under a statutory requirement in each case.

Jim Fitzpatrick: The Advisory Panel on the Beacon Scheme (a) does not have a statutory base and (b) does publish its advice to Government. The Advisory Panel on Standards for the Planning Inspectorate (a) does not have a statutory base and (b) does publish its advice to Government. The Building Regulations Advisory Committee (a) does have a statutory base which is Section 14 of the Building Act 1984 and (b) does not publish its advice to Government. The National Community Forum (a) does not have a statutory base and (b) does not publish its advice to Government.
	All four bodies (c) publish annual reports and (d) none of the four lay those annual reports before Parliament. None of the four are under a statutory requirement to do any of the above.

Non-departmental Public Bodies

David Amess: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister which of the advisory non-departmental public bodies sponsored by his Department (a) hold public meetings, (b) conduct public consultation exercises, (c) conduct consultation exercises with outside commercial interests, (d) publish a register of Members' interests, (e) publish agendas for meetings and (f) publish the minutes of meetings; and whether this is under a statutory requirement in each case.

Jim Fitzpatrick: None of the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister's four advisory non-departmental public bodies (NDPBs) (a) hold public meetings or (b) conduct public consultation exercises.
	The Advisory Panel on the Beacon Scheme (c) conducts consultation exercises with outside commercial interests, (d) does not publish a register of Members' interests and (e) and (f) does not publish either agendas for or minutes of meetings. It would consider what could be made available on request.
	The Advisory Panel on Standards for the Planning Inspectorate (c) consults professional organisations on the Planning Inspectorate's performance, (d) does not publish a register of Members' interests and (e) and (f) does not publish either agendas for or minutes of meetings although both would be made available on request.
	The Building Regulations Advisory Committee (c) does not conduct consultation exercises with outside commercial interests. While it does not publish (d) a register of Members' interests and (e) and (f) agendas for and minutes of meetings, it makes all available on request.
	The National Community Forum (c) does not conduct consultation exercises with outside commercial interests and (d) publishes a register of Members' interests. It does not publish (e) and (f) either agendas for or minutes of meetings.
	None of the four bodies is under a statutory requirement to do any of the above.

Planning Applications

Madeleine Moon: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister how many planning applications recommended for refusal in the last five years following a full public inquiry have subsequently been approved.

Yvette Cooper: In the last five years in England there have been 1,106 called in planning applications and recovered planning appeals decided by my right hon. Friend the Deputy Prime Minister the First Secretary of State. Of these, 22 were planning applications where an Inspector had recommended a refusal of planning permission following a public inquiry, but which were subsequently approved by the First Secretary of State.

Public Service Agreements

Michael Penning: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister how many public service agreements have been entered into with local authorities covering Hemel Hempstead constituency in the last five years; and if he will make a statement.

Phil Woolas: The Government have signed a local public service agreement with Hertfordshire county council which runs from April, 2003 to March, 2006. Local public service agreements have now become the 'reward element' of Local Area Agreements (LAA), and the Government are currently negotiating an LAA with Hertfordshire county council and its partners to run from April, 2006 to March 2009, which will include this reward element.

South West Regional Assembly

Tobias Ellwood: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what the cost to public funds was of the South West Regional Assembly in 2004–05.

Yvette Cooper: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given on 17 October 2005, Official Report, column 817W to the hon. Member for Meriden (Mrs. Spelman).

Tree Maintenance

Caroline Spelman: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what guidance his Department has given to local authorities on tree maintenance near highways.

Karen Buck: I have been asked to reply.
	Guidance on the inspection, condition and maintenance of trees on or near highways is given at sections 9 and 10 of Well-maintained Highways: Code of Practice for Highway Maintenance Management" published by the UK Roads Liaison Group in July this year. The Department for Transport strongly recommends this code to local authorities.

Unitary Local Government

Caroline Spelman: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what research the Government (a) have conducted since 1997 and (b) is conducting on unitary local government in England.

Phil Woolas: The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister (ODPM) was created in May 2002. Since then (and indeed since 1997 as the Department of Environment, Transport and the Regions (DETR) and then the Department for Transport, Local Government and the Regions (DTLR)) we have undertaken one piece of research specifically on unitaries as part of its annual Local and Regional Government Research Programme. This was commissioned from PricewaterhouseCoopers and sought to produce a financial model for the calculation of potential costs associated with the creation of unitary authorities in those regions where referendums for elected regional assemblies were due to be held. The model considered a limited range of well-defined costs—the 'costs of being in business'—and is available on the Boundary Committee for England website at www.boundarycommittee.org.uk.

DEFENCE

Afghanistan

Michael Ancram: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many forces have been contributed by each country contributing to the International Security Assistance Force; and if he will make a statement.

Adam Ingram: International Security Assistance Force currently numbers about 10,000 troops from 36 NATO and non-NATO troop contributing countries. Individual contributions by each country change on a regular basis due to the rotation of troops. Information on numbers of troops currently deployed is a matter for the troop contributing nations.

Afghanistan

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence for how long the UK plans to continue to embed troops within the Afghan national army.

Adam Ingram: The United States has the lead in training the Afghan National Army. Currently, the United Kingdom does not embed trainers with the Afghan National Army, but does provide support by training its Non-Commissioned Officers, a commitment we have recently agreed to extend to September 2006.

Afghanistan

Michael Ancram: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what recent discussions he has had with his (a) United States and (b) European Union counterparts on the deployment of additional British troops to Afghanistan; and if he will make a statement.

Adam Ingram: My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Defence has regular discussions with our Allies, including US and EU counterparts, on the deployment of additional troops to Afghanistan. We have made no final decisions on a deployment to Southern Afghanistan next year, but we are making some timely, prudent and common sense preparations for a potential deployment. A statement will be made to the House when a decision has been made.

Afghanistan

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what plans he has to extend the training period for recruits with the Afghan National Army; and what discussions he has had with UK allies on this.

Adam Ingram: The training period for recruits within the Afghan National Army is a matter for the United States, who lead in this area. The United Kingdom currently supports training for Non-Commissioned Officers and we have recently agreed to extend this commitment to September 2006. We continue to discuss the requirement for training the Afghan National Army with the US and other partner nations.

Afghanistan

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the strength is of (a) the Afghan army and (b) the Afghan police; and what he estimates the required establishment to be in each case.

Adam Ingram: The United States is the lead nation for developing the Afghan National Army (ANA); the current target strength for the ANA is 70,000 personnel. Germany is the lead nation for developing the Afghan National Police (ANP); the current target strength for the ANP is 62,000 personnel. The ANA is about 30,000 strong and the ANP some 50,000 strong.

Afghanistan

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many British troops are in Afghanistan, broken down by service and regiment; and what levels of deployment are expected once the UK takes on the leadership of the Allied Rapid Reaction Corps.

Adam Ingram: As of 16 November 2005, there were approximately 1,060 British personnel in Afghanistan, broken down as follows:
	
		
			 Service Number 
		
		
			 Royal Navy/Royal Marines 30 
			 Army 790 
			 Royal Air Force 240 
		
	
	All personnel from the Royal Navy and Royal Marines are individual augmentees, as are some from the other Services. The principal Army unit serving in Afghanistan is the First Battalion, The Royal Gloucestershire, Berkshire and Wiltshire Light Infantry, while that for the Royal Air Force is 4 Squadron.
	The Allied Rapid Reaction Corps (ARRC) is the British-led High Readiness Force (Land) Headquarters, one of six NATO possesses. These headquarters currently command the International Security Assistance Force in turn. Final decisions on the size of the ARRC's deployment have not been made.

Aircraft Crashes

James Arbuthnot: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence pursuant to the Answer of 26 October 2005, Official Report, column 374W, on aircraft crashes, why the radar altitude hold was not cleared for use on the Chinook HC1; and if he will make a statement.

Don Touhig: The radar altitude hold was not cleared for use on the Chinook HC1 because, during acceptance trials, a small number of technical problems were identified with its use. However, the non-operation of the radar altitude hold did not affect overall safety of the aircraft as the altimeter could be set to give both visual and audio indications of a drop in altitude.

Armed Forces

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what changes in the rules of engagement are being made as the UK takes on leadership of the Allied Rapid Reaction Force.

Adam Ingram: The Allied Rapid Reaction Corps (ARRC) is the British-led High Readiness Force (Land) Headquarters, one of six NATO possesses. These headquarters command the International Security Assistance Force in turn. The Headquarters Group of the ARRC will operate under Rules of Engagement compatible with those agreed by NATO, but it has been the practice of successive Governments not to comment in detail on the Rules of Engagement under which our armed forces operate.

Armed Forces

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many complaints about inappropriate kit have been recorded in the recent campaigns in (a) Iraq and (b) Afghanistan.

Adam Ingram: I understand that this question refers specifically to clothing and backpacks. There have been no officially reported complaints within the chain of command about inappropriate clothing or backpacks from either Iraq or Afghanistan during the last 12 months for which records are maintained. The equipment provided to armed forces personnel is sufficient and appropriate for the tasks they are required to undertake.

Armed Forces

Adam Price: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence for what reasons applications from Fiji to join the armed services are on hold.

Don Touhig: The recruitment of Fijian Nationals is not on hold. Fijian nationals may still apply to join the armed services in the same way as applicants from any other Commonwealth Country.
	However, the practice of the Commonwealth Selection Team visiting Fiji has been placed on hold pending a review of the procedures used to select and support Fijians in the British Army.

Armed Forces

Paul Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when his Department last reviewed the duty free status of cigarettes for armed service personnel.

Don Touhig: Service personnel are able to purchase duty free cigarettes when on board HM Ships in international waters and normally when overseas, although quantities may be limited by local agreements. The arrangements are well established and have not been subject to review.

Armed Forces

Paul Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what recent assessment he has made of the prevalence of smoking among armed service personnel.

Don Touhig: The most recent completed assessment of prevalence of smoking amongst armed service personnel was carried out by the Defence Dental Services as part of their annual dental inspections for the year 2004–05. It recorded smoking prevalence of 23 per cent. for the Royal Navy., 33 per cent. for the Army and 19.6 per cent. for the RAF.

Armed Forces

Paul Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what assessment he has made of the impact of the armed forces' entitlement to duty free cigarettes on the prevalence of smoking among service personnel.

Don Touhig: There has been no assessment specifically relating to the impact on the prevalence of smoking of the availability of duty free cigarettes to Service personnel serving abroad.

Army Recruitment Campaigns

William McCrea: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the cost was of the British Army recruitment campaigns in Northern Ireland in each of the last five years.

Don Touhig: The regional recruitment marketing costs for Commander Regional Recruiting Northern Ireland, one of the nine Commanders Regional Recruiting within the United Kingdom, for the last five financial years are detailed in the table. These cover activities including: local marketing, newspapers, printing and local Regimental Recruiting Team marketing, but exclude staff costs. They also exclude national advertising, television, radio, response handing, magazines, education and citizenship, national events and exhibitions and Camouflage (Youth programme), which are funded centrally by Headquarters Recruiting Group, a part of the Army Training and Recruiting Agency. It is not possible to apportion these national costs to regional areas of the United Kingdom.
	
		
			 Financial year Cost of marketing (£ million) 
		
		
			 2000–01 0.360 
			 2001–02 0.311 
			 2002–03 0.371 
			 2003–04 0.262 
			 2004–05 0.641 
		
	
	The reduction in the costs for 2003–04 was due to a general redeployment of regional marketing funds to Headquarters Recruiting Group's national recruiting operation.
	Additional funding was provided to Northern Ireland in 2004–05 to fund a bespoke television advertising campaign on Ulster Television to counter the difficult recruiting environment, which nationally grew towards the end of the year.

Harrier Aircraft

Tobias Ellwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the future of the Harrier aircraft fleet.

Adam Ingram: By April 2006, the Joint Force Harrier (JFH) will have migrated to an all Harrier Ground Reconnaissance force, comprising GR7, GR9 and T10 aircraft, following the withdrawal of the Sea Harrier aircraft from service. The Harrier GR force will remain in service until it is replaced by the Joint Combat Aircraft around the middle of the next decade.

Courts Martial

Gordon Prentice: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many (a) soldiers and (b) officers in the British Army have resumed their military careers after being found not guilty by a court martial in each of the last 10 years.

Don Touhig: All soldiers and officers who are found not guilty at a court martial may, in principle, continue their military career. However, if it is deemed appropriate, subsequent administrative action could be taken which could result in discharge from the Army. Service personnel might also choose to seek premature voluntary release.
	The figures in the following table indicate the numbers in each of the last 10 years who have been found not guilty at court martial.
	
		
			  Number acquitted 
		
		
			 1995 30 
			 1996 40 
			 1997 34 
			 1998 70 
			 1999 65 
			 2000 82 
			 2001 145 
			 2002 65 
			 2003 70 
			 2004 57 
		
	
	The numbers of those discharged as a result of administrative action after having been found not guilty at court martial, or who choose to leave voluntarily, could not be provided without incurring disproportionate costs.

Courts Martial

Sarah Teather: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many members of the armed forces were (a) charged and (b) found guilty at courts martial for each category of serious crimes of violence up to that of murder in cases where all proceedings are complete in each of the past 10 years; and how many of those found guilty were (i) sent to prison, (ii) dismissed, (iii) dismissed in disgrace and (iv) retained in the forces following a period of imprisonment in each year.

Don Touhig: This information is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Decorations

Julian Lewis: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list the theatres for service in which General Service Medals and Clasps have ceased to be awarded, broken down by (a) date and (b) reasons for the decision in each case.

Don Touhig: holding answer 21 November 2005
	There is currently only one General Service Medal (GSM) in issue, for service in Northern Ireland. GSMs no longer in issue would have been terminated because the operation ended or the risk and rigour diminished. It must be noted that medals and clasps are not in the gift of the Ministry of Defence—this Department only makes recommendations through the Cabinet Office to the Committee on the Grant of Honours, Decorations and Medals (HD Committee), which in turn makes recommendations to HM The Queen.
	The following GSMs have been awarded since the end of the Second World War:
	
		
			 General Service Medal 1918–62 with clasps for: 
		
		
			 a. South East Asia 1945–46 3 September 1945 to 30 November 1946 
			 b. Bomb and Mine Clearance 1945–49 3 September 1945 to 31 December 1949 
			 c. Bomb and Mine Clearance 1945–56 3 September 1945 to 10 November 1956 
			 d. Palestine 1945–48 27 September 1945 to 30 June 1948 
			 e. Malaya 16 June 1948 to 31 July 1960 
			 f. Canal Zone 16 October 1951 to 19 October1954 
			 g. Cyprus 1 April 1955 to 18 April 1959 
			 h. Near East 31 October to 22 December1956 
			 i. Arabian Peninsula 1 January 1957 to 30 June 1960 
			 j. Brunei 8 December to 23 December 1962 
			   
			 The General Service Medal 1962 with clasps for: 
			 a. Borneo 24 December 1962 to 11 August 1966 
			 b. Radfan 25 April to 31 July 1964 
			 c. South Arabia 1 August 1964 to 30 November 1967 
			 d. Malay Peninsula 17 August 1964 to 11 August 1966 
			 e. South Vietnam 24 December 1962 and 29 May 1964 
			 f. Northern Ireland 14 August 1969 to a date to be decided 
			 g. Dhofar 1 October 1969 to 3 September 1976 
			 h. Lebanon 7 February 1983 to 9 March 1984 
			 i. Mine Clearance (Gulf of Suez) 15 August to 15 October 1984 
			 j. Gulf 17 November 1986 to 28 February 1989 
			 k. Kuwait 8 March to 30 September 1991 
			 l. Northern Iraq/Southern Turkey 6 April to 17 July 1991 
			 m. Air Operations Iraq 16 July 1991 to 18 March 2003 (Op Resinate (South)) or 30 April 2003 (Op Resinate (North)).

Diego Garcia

Tobias Ellwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the UK's military commitment is to Diego Garcia; what other overseas forces are stationed there; and if he will make a statement.

Adam Ingram: The United Kingdom's military commitment to Diego Garcia, in the British Indian Ocean Territory, is to maintain and exercise UK sovereignty over the territory, including its territorial waters and airspace. In total, 41 UK military personnel are based there. United States forces are also stationed on the island.

Iraq

Ben Chapman: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the status of British troops in Iraq following the approval of the Iraqi constitution.

Adam Ingram: The United Kingdom's armed forces continue to assist the Iraqi Government in providing security and building the capability and capacity of the Iraqi Security Forces so that they may take responsibility for their own security.
	UK forces remain in Iraq under the UN mandate set out in United Nations Security Council Resolution (UNSCR) 1546. Following a written request by the Iraqi Government, on 8 November the United Nations Security Council unanimously adopted resolution 1637, which comes into effect on 31 December 2005. This extends the mandate of the Multi-National Force in Iraq (MNF-I), if required, until 31 December 2006. UNSCR 1637 includes the same guarantees as UNSCR 1546, including a commitment on the part of the UN Security Council to review these provisions no later 15 June 2006 and to terminate the mandate of the MNF-I if requested by the new Iraqi Government.

Literacy and Numeracy

Nick Gibb: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence pursuant to the answer of 7 November 2005, Official Report, column 98W on departmental staff literacy and numeracy, how many and what proportion of new recruits to the army in the last 12 months had (a) literacy and (b) numeracy skills at or below (i) entry level 3, (ii) entry level 2 and (iii) entry level 1.

Don Touhig: Consolidated literacy and numeracy initial assessment figures for recruits to the army in the period 1 November 2004 to 31 October 2005, are provided as follows.
	
		
			  Literacy Numeracy 
			  Entry level 1 Entry level 2 Entry level 3 Entry level 1 Entry level 2 Entry level 3 
		
		
			 Percentage 0.71 7.81 32.51 0.19 7.65 37.11 
			 Number of recruits 72 795 3310 19 770 3737 
			 Total number of recruits(11) 10,180 10,070 
		
	
	(11) Numeracy figures are lower because numeracy assessments were not initially recorded at all locations.

Operation Maturin

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what commitment the UK made to Operation Maturin to help the earthquake victims in Pakistan and Kashmir; how many flights were made by the RAF; how many personnel were involved; what tonnage of (a) food and (b) other supplies were transported; and where.

Adam Ingram: The United Kingdom commitment to Operation Maturin has been both bilateral with Pakistan and through NATO. Bilaterally, the RAF have deployed three CH-47 Chinooks, which have flown and combined total of more than 200 flying hours and delivered nearly 900 tonnes of aid to date, comprising food, tents and blankets, but also tools, plastic sheeting, corrugated iron and baby care equipment. The breakdown of tonnage by individual items is not available. Up to 16 November, they had also evacuated some 325 personnel, 32 of whom were casualties. The number of personnel involved in this deployment is 81 (77 deployed as part of the Support Helicopter Force and four medics).
	A six-person Operational Liaison and Reconnaissance Team (ORLT) deployed to Islamabad on 19 October to provide support to the UK operation. A two-man Mobile Air Operations Team deployed to Chaklala airbase, on the weekend of 29 and 30 October, where they carried out a successful reconnaissance of a Forward Operating Base to the north of Islamabad. Four logistic planners deployed to Islamabad on 26 October to assist the UN Joint Logistics Centre (UNJLC), where they are assisting in the development of a UN relief plan, including making more effective use of available aircraft. The MOD has also provided 23,000 vegetarian and halal ration packs, while a four person Joint Media Operations Team is providing coverage of the UK response and assisting NATO where possible.
	Four C-17 flights have provided strategic lift, including: the transportation of two civilian Puma helicopters to Pakistan on behalf of DfID and the International Committee of the Red Cross; the transportation of one CH-47 Chinook helicopter and its crew and equipment (two flights); and, on behalf of NATO, the transportation of a medical team of three accompanied by equipment and a Land Rover. Each flight required a crew often. A total of 57 passengers were transported. Details of the total tonnage carried on these flights is not available.
	The United Kingdom has contributed to the NATO relief effort in a number of ways. Four RAF C130 Hercules with six crews, and supporting Specialist Deployed Operating Base elements from RAF Lyneham, have been made available to NATO. Three have been deployed to Incirlik, Turkey to deliver aid via the NATO airbridge. One remains in the UK at 48 hours notice to deploy. As of 14 November, they had carried out 30 flights, delivering 288 tonnes of aid (37 per cent. of the total moved by NATO), comprising tents, mattresses, stoves, blankets and medical items. The breakdown of tonnage by individual items is not available. The number of personnel involved in this deployment is currently 91 (84 in Incirlik, and seven in Baku, Azerbaijan).
	A RAF Mobile Medical Team of four people (one GP, two Medical Technicians and one Environmental Health Technician) deployed to the region on 16 November. One RAF officer is in Islamabad as part of NATO's own Operational Liaison Reconnaissance Team (OLRT). A seven person UK Liaison party from the UK Joint Force Air Component HQ has joined the French-led Joint Force Air Component HQ and are deployed in France and Pakistan.
	In addition to our standing NATO commitments, a sub-unit 59 Independent Commando Squadron Royal Engineers, supported by personnel from 42 Commando Royal Marines, has been offered to NATO. If the offer of this capability is taken up it will comprise 86 personnel deploying to Pakistan.

Royal Navy

Daniel Kawczynski: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many Royal Navy personnel are based in (a) Gibraltar and (b) the Falklands.

Adam Ingram: I refer the hon. Member to Tri Service Publication 6, Global Location of UK Regular Forces (TSP 6). Data are provided for the Naval Service, which include the Royal Navy and the Royal Marines.
	TSP 6 is published quarterly; the most recent publication shows the numbers of Service personnel at 1 July 2005.
	Copies of TSP 6 are held in the House of Commons Library and also available on www.dasa.mod.uk.

Royal Ordnance Factory (Chorley)

Lindsay Hoyle: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how much land at Royal Ordnance factory (a) Chorley and (b) Heapey is owned by Royal Ordnance.

Adam Ingram: BAE, now known as BAE Systems Land Systems, took over Royal Ordnance and their sites in 1987. Land holdings are a matter for the company.

Territorial Army

Ann Winterton: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence pursuant to the answer of 26 October 2005, Official Report, column 380W, on military personnel, how many of the Territorial Army personnel who collected their bounty in 2004–05 were (a) first-year bounty, (b) second-year bounty, (c) third-year bounty and (d) over three years bounty; and how many voluntary leavers had not passed phase 1 and 2 of basic training.

Don Touhig: This information is not held centrally and can be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Veterans' Badges

Paul Truswell: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many veterans' badges have been allocated to ex-service personnel in Pudsey constituency.

Don Touhig: The scheme was launched in May 2004. There are no accurate records of geographical issue available prior to April 2005.
	A total of 16 badges have been issued to ex-service personnel in the Pudsey constituency since April 2005.
	On 13 November my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Defence announced that eligibility for the badge was being extended to those who served between the two world wars, and from the end of the second world war until the end of 1954.

Veterans' Badges

Rosie Cooper: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many veterans' badges have been allocated to ex-service personnel in West Lancashire constituency in the last five years.

Don Touhig: The scheme was launched in May 2004. There are no accurate records of geographical issue available before April 2005.
	A total of 47 badges have been issued to ex-service personnel in the West Lancashire constituency since April 2005.
	On 13 November my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Defence announced that eligibility for the badge was being extended to those who served between the two world wars, and from the end of the second world war until the end of 1954.

SOLICITOR-GENERAL

Domestic Violence (Wales)

Madeleine Moon: To ask the Solicitor-General how many domestic violence prosecutions were undertaken in Wales in each year since 2002, broken down by region.

Mike O'Brien: The following table shows the number of Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) prosecutions for domestic violence offences, finalised in Wales, in the last two financial years, together with comparable figures for each of the four CPS areas located in Wales. The table also shows the number and proportion resulting in conviction and in unsuccessful outcomes.
	The CPS does not have comparable full records of domestic violence proceedings before 2004.
	
		Proceedings for domestic violence—Wales: 2004–06
		
			  Convictions Percentage Unsuccessful outcomes Percentage Total 
		
		
			 2004–05  
			 Dyfed Powys 138 58.5 98 41.5 236 
			 Gwent 268 60.2 177 39.8 445 
			 North Wales 297 67.7 142 32.3 439 
			 South Wales 621 52.5 561 47.5 1,182 
			 Total 1,324 57.5 978 42.5 2,302 
			   
			 2005–06 (1 April 2005 to 17 November 2005)  
			 Dyfed Powys 119 63.0 70 37.0 189 
			 Gwent 188 60.6 122 39.4 310 
			 North Wales 313 68.0 147 32.0 460 
			 South Wales 455 51.8 424 48.2 879 
			 Total 1,075 58.5 763 41.5 1,838

Serious Fraud Office

Malcolm Bruce: To ask the Solicitor-General if the Serious Fraud Office will investigate the allegations concerning British companies contained in the Volcker report into the UN Oil-for-Food operation in Iraq; and if he will make a statement.

Mike O'Brien: The Serious Fraud Office is reviewing the Volcker report to determine whether any circumstances mentioned in the report justify involvement of the Serious Fraud Office.
	As part of our responsibilities under the OECD convention against corruption the Serious Fraud Office will review all allegations of corruption referred to it against United Kingdom companies or individuals in overseas jurisdictions to determine whether an investigation is warranted.

Serious Fraud Office

Malcolm Bruce: To ask the Solicitor-General what assessment the Attorney-General has requested the Serious Fraud Office to produce of the difficulties the Serious Fraud Office faces in detecting, investigating and prosecuting corruption.

Mike O'Brien: The Attorney-General routinely meets with the Director of the Serious Fraud Office and other senior SFO officials. A standing agenda item at these meetings are case updates and significant allegations reported to the SFO. The updates include briefing on difficulties faced by the SFO at any stage of an investigation or prosecution, for any type of case.

LEADER OF THE HOUSE

Royal Prerogative

Greg Knight: To ask the Leader of the House if he will bring forward proposals in this Session of Parliament to modernise and improve the parliamentary scrutiny process of ministerial decisions made using the royal prerogative.

Geoff Hoon: The Government have no plans to alter the present procedures for parliamentary scrutiny of ministerial decisions involving the royal prerogative. The Government accepts and welcomes scrutiny of any of their actions, including those taken under the prerogative. Ministers are already accountable to Parliament for action taken under prerogative powers, as for anything else.
	I refer the right hon. Member to the Government Response to the Fourth Report of the Public Administration Committee (HC422) of session 2003–04.

CONSTITUTIONAL AFFAIRS

Care Home Closures (Legal Challenges)

Andrew MacKinlay: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs what the policy is of the Legal Services Commission on the granting of legal aid to those seeking to challenge closure of local authority care homes on human rights grounds; and if she will make a statement.

Bridget Prentice: The Legal Services Commission assesses applications for Community Legal Service funding, including those on human rights grounds, on a case by case basis against the criteria set out in the Funding Code, as established under the Access to Justice Act 1999. This involves consideration of the client's means, the prospects of success for the case, the likely cost, and the benefit to the client and wider public as a whole.

Correspondence

Gerald Kaufman: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs if she will require the Crown Prosecution Service to reply to the letter dated 28 September to the Secretary of State from the right hon. Member for Manchester, Gorton which was forwarded to the Crown Prosecution Service on 7 October.

Harriet Harman: The Crown Prosecution Service sent the right hon. Member a substantive reply on 16 November about prosecution aspects of the case. The Lord Chancellor will reply about other aspects of the right hon. Member's letter.

Legal Aid

Andrew Turner: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs how many (a) women and (b) men received legal aid in respect of care and custody proceedings in each of the last three years for which information is available.

Bridget Prentice: I will reply to the hon. Member as soon as possible.

Ministerial Travel

Norman Baker: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs how much has been spent in each year from 1 May 1997 on ministerial travel, broken down by (a) provision and running costs of vehicular transport, (b) first class travel by rail, (c) standard class travel by rail, (d) first class travel by air, (e) club or equivalent class travel by air and (f) economy class travel by air.

Bridget Prentice: A year-by-year and travel class breakdown cannot be provided without incurring disproportionate cost. However, my hon. Friend the Parliamentary Secretary at the Cabinet Office has asked Roy Burke, Chief Executive of the Government Car and Despatch Agency (GCDA) to write to the hon. Member with details of the costs of ministerial vehicles provided to Departments in 2004–05. Copies of his letter will be placed in the Library.
	For information for the financial years 2000–01 to 2003–04, I refer the hon. Member to the letters from the Chief Executive of the GCDA to the hon. Member for Buckingham (John Bercow) dated 10 January 2005 and to the then hon. Member for Arundel and South Downs (Howard Flight) dated 13 September 2003. Copies of these letters are available in the Library.
	In respect of overseas travel by Ministers, since 1999 the Government have published an annual list of all visits overseas undertaken by Cabinet Ministers costing £500 or more during each financial year. The Government have also published annually the cost of all Ministers' visits overseas. Copies of the lists are available in the Libraries of the House. These report information for the financial years 1995–96 to 2004–05. Information for 2005–06 will be published as soon as it is ready after the end of the current financial year. All Ministerial travel is undertaken in accordance with the rules set out in the Ministerial Code" and Travel by Ministers", copies of which are available in the Libraries of the House.

NORTHERN IRELAND

Drug Crimes

Peter Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many (a) recorded cases of, (b) prosecutions for and (c) convictions for drug crimes there have been for (i) illegal importation of drugs, (ii) illegal cultivation of drugs, (iii) possession of drugs with intent to supply, (iv) possession of drugs, (v) money laundering-related drugs offences and (vi) other drugs offences in each of the last five years, in each district command unit in Northern Ireland.

Shaun Woodward: The information requested by the hon. Gentleman has been placed in the Library.

Public Bodies

Peter Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will list the public bodies in Northern Ireland which (a) fall within the remit of (i) the Office of the Commissioner for Public Appointments for Northern Ireland and (ii) the Office of the Commissioner for Public Appointments and (b) are outwith the remit of either body.

Angela Smith: The information requested by the hon. Gentleman has been placed in the Library.

CABINET OFFICE

Government Car and Despatch Agency

Norman Baker: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster 
	(1)  how many cars in the fleet purchased each year since 1997 by the Government Car and Despatch Agency have been converted to alternative environmentally friendly fuels;
	(2)  what plans are in place to celebrate the 60th anniversary of the Government Car and Despatch Agency;
	(3)  pursuant to page 24 of the Government Car and Despatch Agency Annual Report 2004–05, which Government Departments which are now using the Green Car Service;
	(4)  if he will list all those other than Ministers who are entitled to a car and driver supplied by the Government Car and Despatch Agency.

Jim Murphy: The responsibility for the provision of ministerial cars and drivers has been delegated under the terms of the Framework Document to the Government Car Despatch Agency. I have asked its chief executive Mr. Roy Burke to write to the right hon. Member. Copies of his letter will be placed in the Library.

TRADE AND INDUSTRY

Nuclear Inspectorate

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many (a) complaints, (b) court actions and (c) fines there have been in each year since 1995 against the nuclear industry for problems related to (i) odours, (ii) water pollution, (iii) air pollution and (iv) human health impact, (A) in total, (B) in each region and (C) per site.

Elliot Morley: I have been asked to reply.
	It is not possible to provide a reply that fully answers the hon. Member's question without entailing disproportionate cost.
	However, details of cases and fines against the nuclear industry have recently been made available in the House of Commons Library following the hon. Member's recent question to my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry.
	As the Environment Agency's National Enforcement Database was commissioned in 1999, data are only available from that date. The Database identifies pollution cases by their effects on air, water and land and does not include complaints".

Radioactive Material

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many accidents there have been in each year since 1975 involving the transportation of radioactive material (a) by air, (b) by road, (c) by rail and (d) by ship.

Stephen Ladyman: I have been asked to reply.
	Details of all events involving the transport of radioactive material in the UK since 1989 have been published in a series of annual reports. The latest report in this series is Radiological Consequences Resulting from Accidents and Incidents Involving the Transport of Radioactive Materials in the UK—2004 Review (HPA-RPD-007)". This report is on the internet at the following address:
	http://www.hpa.org.uk/radiation/publications/hpa_rpd_reports/2005/hpa_rod_007.htm
	Details of all the previous reports in the series are contained in the reference section of the latest report. A report detailing events occurring during 2005 will be published in late 2006.
	Two reports analysing trends in events have also been published, these are: Review of the Radiological Consequences Resulting from Accidents and Incidents Involving the Transport of Radioactive Materials in the UK from 1964 to 1988 (NRPB-M206)" and Review of the Radiological Consequences Resulting from Accidents and Incidents Involving the Transport of Radioactive Materials in the UK from 1958 to 1994 (NRPB-R282)".
	The reports contain information concerning all abnormal events involving the transport of radioactive material which have been reported to or have otherwise come to the attention of the Department for Transport. The total number of events for each year and mode of transport are:
	
		
			  Air Road Rail Ship Airport(12) 
		
		
			 1975 2 7 0 3 18 
			 1976 1 3 7 1 23 
			 1977 1 5 7 1 20 
			 1978 1 4 6 1 16 
			 1979 1 4 3 1 10 
			 1980 0 3 7 1 11 
			 1981 2 5 6 0 7 
			 1982 1 2 3 0 9 
			 1983 1 5 0 0 2 
			 1984 0 3 4 3 1 
			 1985 1 7 4 0 0 
			 1986 2 2 2 2 0 
			 1987 3 5 5 1 0 
			 1988 1 9 4 3 2 
			 1989 2 6 4 2 0 
			 1990 2 6 7 3 1 
			 1991 4 5 9 3 3 
			 1992 4 8 3 1 0 
			 1993 2 8 6 0 3 
			 1994 5 3 11 0 1 
			 1995 6 16 5 1 1 
			 1996 4 9 4 2 9 
			 1997 7 13 3 1 2 
			 1998 11 13 11 0 9 
			 1999 12 13 6 2 5 
			 2000 7 20 15 1 2 
			 2001 3 12 20 1 0 
			 2002 6 10 0 3 1 
			 2003 4 4 3 0 0 
			 2004 3 14 3 0 0 
		
	
	(12) These are events that occurred in airport warehouses and usually involved packages falling from fork-lift trucks. These have been included separately because to classify them as either air or road events would be misleading.
	The events in this table include all abnormal events, howsoever minor, and covers all movements of radioactive material, however small and for whatever reason, usually in connection with medical diagnosis/treatment, research or industrial radiography. The list includes events clearly identifiable as accidents (e.g. dropped packages or road traffic accidents), however, the majority are events such as stolen packages, incorrectly prepared packages or packages transported without the correct labelling/paperwork. Most of these events were minor with no radiological consequences and in some cases were false alarms. Very rarely was radioactive material released to the environment or did people receive significant radiation doses.
	Examination of the reports referred to earlier in this answer will give a fuller understanding of the frequency, severity and consequences of accidents involving the transport of radioactive material in the UK. Copies of all these reports are available in the House of Commons Library.

WALES

Business Rates

Stephen Crabb: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how much was raised in business rates from (a) Wales and (b) Pembrokeshire in each year since 1990.

Nick Ainger: The information is in the following table. Details of contributions to the pool between 1990–91 and 1995–96 are taken from the publication Welsh Local Government Financial Statistics". Details from 1996–97 are taken from the StatsWales website table 00466.
	Pembrokeshire county council became a billing authority in 1996.
	
		£000(13)
		
			  Wales Pembrokeshire 
		
		
			 1990–91 345,309 n/a 
			 1991–92 401,100 n/a 
			 1992–93 378,745 n/a 
			 1993–94 367,147 n/a 
			 1994–95 354,244 n/a 
			 1995–96 399,535 n/a 
			 1996–97 427,156 16,615 
			 1997–98 460,306 17,608 
			 1998–99 464,848 17,124 
			 1999–2000 489,705 7,082 
			 2000–01 566,400 21,771 
			 2001–02 588,531 21,794 
			 2002–03 562,831 22,099 
			 2003–04(14) 567,085 17,036 
			 2004–05(15) 633,511 21,930 
		
	
	n/a = Not available.
	1 Contribution to non-domestic rating pool.
	(13) Unaudited.
	(14) Provisional.

Council Tax Revaluation

Caroline Spelman: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales whether (a) computer-assisted mass appraisal and (b) the automated valuation model was used in the council tax revaluation in Wales.

Nick Ainger: No

Council Tax Revaluation

Caroline Spelman: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales pursuant to the answer of 14 July 2005, Official Report, column 1167W, on Council Tax (Wales), what criteria the Valuation Office Agency used in deciding whether to make use of private sector firms during the council tax revaluation in Wales.

Nick Ainger: The Valuation Office Agency's listing officers in Wales have a statutory duty, under the Local Government Finance Act 1992 (as amended by the Local Government Act 2003), to compile and maintain valuation lists for council tax purposes. The Valuation Office Agency did not make use of private sector firms during the council tax revaluation in Wales, as it was fully resourced to carry out this task.

Damages

John Hayes: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will list the 10 largest amounts of damages paid out by his Department in the last year for which figures are available, indicating in each case the nature of the claim.

Peter Hain: Since the Wales Office was established in July 1999, no claims for damages have been paid.

Departmental Contracts (Direct Mail)

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many contracts were signed by his Department in (a) 2005–06 to date and (b) 2004–05 for direct mail; and what the value was in each case.

Peter Hain: Since the Wales Office was established in July 1999 we have never signed any direct mail contracts.

Hospital Provision

Michael Penning: To ask the Secretary of State for Waleswhat discussions he has had with the National Assembly for Wales Minister for Health to discuss funding for the provision of new hospitals serving patients in Wales.

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Waleswhat discussions he has had with the National Assembly for Wales Minister for Health on funding forthe provision of new hospitals serving patients in Wales.

Nick Ainger: I regularly meet with the Assembly Minister for Health and Social Services to discuss a range of issues, including funding for the provision of new hospitals in Wales.
	Capital expenditure for building hospitals is detailed within the Welsh Assembly's Capital Investment Plan. This includes a major rebuilding scheme aimed at modernising health and social care and increasing capacity. It will be delivered by investment in the NHS infrastructure in Wales increasing from £120 million in the current financial year to £309 million in 2007–08.
	There are currently 55 schemes of which 30 have either on-site development or fully approved business cases 25 which are actively progressing through the business case process, in addition there are 47 schemes in the planning stage.
	Of the current schemes, the funding already approved for the first three years of the Capital Investment Plan includes the following projects where work is already ongoing:
	2nd Rhondda Community Hospital (Ysbyty Cwm Rhondda)
	Porthmadoc Community Hospital
	Orthopaedic Surgery facilities in Newport and Llandough
	Tenby Community Hospital
	Carmarthen Accident and Emergency
	South Pembrokeshire Hospital
	And the following schemes, where it is anticipated that work will start within the next two years:
	Caerphilly Local General Hospital
	Ebbw Vale Hospital for Blaenau Gwent
	Holywell Community Hospital
	Cynon Valley Neighbourhood Hospital
	Bro Morgannwg—Modernisation of Mental Health
	Gwent Main Delivery Unit
	Gwent Clinical School (Health Science Institute)
	In addition, work is currently taking place with the NHS to develop a 10-year capital investment plan to 2014–15.

Ministerial Travel

Bill Wiggin: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many journeys he has made between London and Cardiff on official business since 2002 by (a) car, (b) train, (c) bus, (d) coach, (e) helicopter and (f) aeroplane; and what the costs of travel were in each year.

Peter Hain: All ministerial travel is undertaken in accordance with the rules set out in the Ministerial Code" and Travel by Ministers", copies of which are available in the Libraries of the House.
	Details on the number of journeys made by car could be provided only at disproportionate cost. My hon. Friend the Under-Secretary of State for the Cabinet Office has asked Roy Burke, chief executive of the Government Car and Despatch Agency (GCDA) to write to the hon. Member for Lewes (Norman Baker) with details of the costs of ministerial vehicles provided to Departments in 2004–05. Copies of his letter will be placed in the Library.
	For information for the financial years 2000–01 to 2003–04 I refer the hon. Member to the letters from the chief executive of the GCDA to the hon. Member for Buckingham (John Bercow) dated 10 January 2005 and to the then hon. Member for Arundel and South Downs (Howard Flight) dated 13 September 2003. Copies of these letters are available in the Library.
	I have made 428 journeys by train.
	The total cost of train journeys per calendar year were:
	
		
			  £ 
		
		
			 2002 11,593 
			 2003 9,568 
			 2004 8,400 
		
	
	I have not used any other method of transport between London and Cardiff.

Ministerial Visits

Bill Wiggin: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will list the dates and venues of visits he has made to armed forces' bases in Wales since October 2002.

Peter Hain: I visited Maindy Barracks in February 2004 and Brecon Barracks in July 2004.

NHS Hospital Beds

Bill Wiggin: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what recent discussions he has had in Cabinet on the number of NHS hospital beds in Wales.

Peter Hain: The provision of access to NHS treatment in Wales is the responsibility of the Welsh Assembly Government. In my role as Secretary of State for Wales, I discuss issues relating to health service delivery regularly with the First Minister.
	I also regularly discuss matters relating to health services in Wales with my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Health. For example, in the current Session, my right hon. Friend has introduced two Bills, the Health Bill and the NHS Redress Bill, which contain provisions relating to Wales.
	I will continue to raise such matters with Cabinet colleagues when it is appropriate to do so.

Rural Workers (Pay)

Michael Penning: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what recent assessment he has made of levels of pay for workers in rural Wales; and if he will make a statement.

Nick Ainger: The Office for National Statistics (ONS) publishes details of pay and earnings within Wales for employees in all industries and occupation by unitary authority that is taken from the Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings.
	This information is published on the ONS website: www.statistics.gov.uk

FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS

Ambassadors

Andrew MacKinlay: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs by what additional amount the frais allowance was increased in this financial year in respect of the United Kingdom's ambassador to the United States; and for what purposes.

Jack Straw: The Frais provision of Her Majesty's Ambassador to the United States of America was slightly lower at the beginning of the current financial year compared to the previous one. This reflected movements in the exchange rate of the US Dollar to the Pound and in the cost of living index comparing Washington with the UK. However Frais was underspent by £29,000 the previous financial year and it was agreed that, that amount could be carried over to this financial year to be available for possible additional expenditure in respect of the EU and G8 presidencies, as well as the visit of Their Royal Highnesses The Prince of Wales and the Duchess of Cornwall. This expenditure will need to be accounted for in the usual way.

Assets Recovery Agency

Andrew MacKinlay: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether he has received any complaint from the Assets Recovery Agency in respect of any overseas territory failing (a) to comply with requests from the Agency and (b) to legislate to facilitate the Agency's work; and if he will make a statement.

Douglas Alexander: holding answer 21 November 2005
	The Assets Recovery Agency has not raised any complaints with my right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary with regard to any Overseas Territory failing to comply with Agency requests or to legislate appropriately.
	The Assets Recovery Agency is currently exploring with some countries and Overseas Territories how the civil recovery part of the UK legislation could be enforced in their jurisdictions. Police and Her Majesty's Revenue and Customs also continue to liaise and co-operate with other jurisdictions in their application of the criminal confiscation and cash seizure aspects of the Proceeds of Crime Act 2002.

Brazil

Justine Greening: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has made of the trial and conviction in Brazil of Craig Alden; and if he will make a statement.

Douglas Alexander: holding answer 21 November 2005
	In the light of concerns about the fairness of the trial proceedings that led to Craig Alden's conviction in 2002, the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) offered Mr. Alden the services of a member of the FCO pro bono lawyers panel, Jeremy Richardson QC, to review the conduct of his case. The decision to offer Mr. Alden this assistance was made without prejudice to the fact that the Government, as in all cases of British Nationals subject to trial proceedings overseas, takes no position as to the guilt or innocence of the accused.
	Jeremy Richardson produced two reports on Mr. Alden's case. Mr. Richardson concluded that the trial proceedings in the case were flawed, and that this raised doubts about the fairness of Mr. Alden's conviction. The Government supported Mr. Alden's application to the Brazilian Government for Presidential Expulsion. My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary wrote to the Brazilian Foreign Minister in March 2005, highlighting the concerns about the trial process raised in Mr. Richardson's reports. In August 2005, the Brazilian authorities informed British Embassy officials of their intention to reject Mr. Alden's request for Presidential Expulsion. My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary has recently received a formal written response from the Brazilian Foreign Minister confirming the rejection. My noble Friend the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State at the FCO raised that matter with the Brazillian ambassador on 16 November. Mr. Alden has been on hunger strike since 1 November.
	We have strongly urged Mr. Alden to reconsider this course of action. Consular officials are in regular contact. The British Embassy nurse visited him on 11 November to assess his condition. We continue to make daily checks on Mr. Alden's health.
	Consular officials in London have regular contact with Mr. Alden's family and supporters, and met them most recently on 14 November.

China

Daniel Kawczynski: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent discussions he has had with the Chinese Government about the forced repatriation of North Korean asylum seekers in China.

Ian Pearson: We have raised concerns about the forced repatriation of North Korean border crossers on a number of occasions with the Chinese Government. We did so most recently at the UK China Human Rights Dialogue in June 2005. There was also a discussion of this issue at the EU China Human Rights Dialogue in October 2005.

China

Geoffrey Cox: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations were made to the Chinese delegation during the recent state visit regarding (a) reports of religious persecution in China and (b) the status of Tibet.

Ian Pearson: My right hon. Friend the Prime Minister raised human rights with President Hu but not specifically religious persecution or the status of Tibet. My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary and the Chinese Foreign Minister discussed the issue of Tibet and the international parliamentary convention to be held in Scotland later this month. Freedom of religion was a focus for the recent EU China Human Rights Dialogue, held in Beijing on 24 October 2005.

Consultants

Martin Horwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will listdepartmental projects conducted by consultants in each year since 2000; what the cost was in each case; and what the total cost of employing consultants was in each year.

Jack Straw: Expenditure on external consultants in general is reported annually in the Foreign and Commonwealth Office's (FCO) Departmental Report, copies of which are available in the Library of the House and on the FCO's website at www.fco.gov.uk.
	Information on expenditure on individual projects is not held centrally and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost. The vast majority of the work undertaken for the FCO by consultants in each year since 2000 was associated with our major Information Communication Technology and estate construction programmes.
	Overall expenditure on external consultants since 2000 is:
	
		
			  £ million 
		
		
			 2000–01 17.9 
			 2001–02 20.1 
			 2002–03 23.7 
			 2003–04 23.2 
		
	
	Expenditure for 2004–05 is in the process of being collated and will be published in the FCO's Departmental Report in April 2006.

Egypt

Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make representations to the Egyptian authorities that provision should be made for Egyptian citizens who are not members of the three official faiths to enable them to receive identity cards; and if he will make a statement.

Kim Howells: As stated in the Egyptian constitution, all Egyptian citizens should be treated equally, regardless of religion. We agree that provision should be made for all Egyptian citizens to enable them to receive identity cards.
	The UK, along with Australia, the USA, Canada and Ireland, took part in a demarche on the Egyptian Government in December 2004 on the topic of identity cards. We plan to raise our concerns again with the Egyptian Government before the end of the year.

EU Legislation

Michael Gove: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list EU legislation in force which cites as its legal basis Article 308 of the treaties (a) wholly and (b) in part.

Douglas Alexander: The information requested is not held centrally and could only be obtained at disproportionate cost.
	Article 308 requires, in order for it to be used as a legal base for action, that a proposal be necessary for the attainment of a Community objective, and have unanimous support at the Council. The Government have given an undertaking that, where the Commission puts forward a legislative proposal citing Article 308 as its legal base, the Commission's justification of this choice of legal base will be provided to the Scrutiny Committees.

EU Legislation

Michael Gove: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many (a) directives, (b) regulations and (c) decisions have been adopted in the EU in each month in 2005.

Douglas Alexander: Directives, regulations and decisions adopted in the EU are published in the Official Journal of the European Union, which can be found at http://europa.eu.int/eur-lex/lex/JOIndex.do?ihmlang=en

EU Legislation

Michael Gove: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many (a) directives, (b) regulations and (c) decisions have been repealed in the EU in each month in 2005.

Douglas Alexander: The Foreign and Commonwealth Office does not hold this information centrally. Information for this year could be obtained only at disproportionate cost. Details of legislation repealed in previous years is available in House of Commons Standard Note SN/IA/2888.
	As part of the Better Regulation agenda, the European Commission has expressed a firm commitment to the repeal of irrelevant or obsolete legislation. The UK is a strong supporter of the Better Regulation agenda. We welcome the Commission's recent communication on the simplification of the regulatory environment which is available in the House of Commons Library and includes proposals to repeal, codify, recast or modify 222 pieces of legislation, affecting more that 1,400 related legal Acts.

Falun Gong

Sammy Wilson: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what steps the Government are taking to address the persecution of Falun Gong practitioners in China.

Ian Pearson: We raised the matter of human rights abuses against Falun Gong practitioners at the UK China Human Rights Dialogue in June 2005. Falun Gong cases have been included among individual cases of concern on which we have sought responses from the Chinese authorities. Cases of Falun Gong practitioners were also raised at the EU China Human Rights Dialogue in October 2005. We will continue to raise such cases where appropriate.

Forced Labour (China)

Sammy Wilson: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations he has made to the Government of China on forced labour in China.

Ian Pearson: We have regularly raised concerns about the practice of re-education through labour (RTL) in China with the Chinese Government. My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary discussed reform of RTL with the Chinese Foreign Minister during his visit to China in January 2005. My right hon. Friend the Prime Minister raised this issue during his visit to China in September 2005. RTL was also discussed at the EU China Human Rights Dialogue in October 2005

Iran

Adam Price: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions he has had with the Iranian Government regarding the al-Qaeda operatives they claim are in their custody.

Kim Howells: We continue to press Iran to take effective action against members of al-Qaeda and other terrorist groups using Iran as a base, transit route or refuge. We have also sought information about members of al-Qaeda that Iran is reportedly detaining. We want to see Iran co-operate actively with the rest of the international community against these groups. It is vital for all states to work closely together to defeat terrorism.

Iraq

Menzies Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what estimate he has made of how many private military contractors have been killed in Iraq since March 2003.

Jack Straw: From our consular records, we are aware of at least 21 British nationals who have been killed in Iraq since March 2003 while working as private military or security contractors. However, this figure is not definitive as our records do not as a formality include details of employers of those British nationals who die abroad. We are also aware of a number of private military and security contractors of other nationalities who have been killed in Iraq during this period. However, we are unable to provide any figures on these as we do not keep statistics on deaths of foreign nationals abroad.

Iraq

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will conduct an inquiry into the implications for the UK of the manipulation of the UN oil-for-food programme in Iraq following the final Volcker report, with particular reference to (a) British citizens identified in the report and (b) those who received oil concessions from Iraq.

Kim Howells: The Government have no plans to hold a separate inquiry into allegations surrounding the Oil-for-Food Programme. The Government believe that the UN and member states need to learn the lessons from the comprehensive investigation carried out by the Independent Inquiry Committee (IIC), chaired by Paul Volcker. The Government co-operated fully with the IIC throughout its investigation and the IIC's findings have been brought to the attention of the relevant UK investigative authorities. Since the publication of the IIC's final report, the Government have also asked the IIC for any further information it holds on British companies and individuals named in the report and will promptly pass any information received on to the relevant UK authorities to consider what further action is required.

Scrutiny Reserve Resolution

Michael Gove: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list the occasions on which the Government have overridden the scrutiny reserve resolution in each year since 1980.

Douglas Alexander: Figures were only collected from 2001.
	
		
			  Number of overrides 
		
		
			 2001 (15)80 
			 2002 71 
			 2003 75 
			 2004 43 
			 2005 (January to June) (15)53 
		
	
	(15) Figures are higher for 2001 and 2005 to date because for part of these years Parliament was dissolved and there were periods immediately after the opening of Parliament before the Scrutiny Committees could be re-appointed.

Senegal

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what his position is on (a) Belgium's decision to charge Hissene Habre with crimes against humanity and torture and (b) the extradition of Hissene Habre to Belgium.

Ian Pearson: It is a matter for the Belgian authorities to decide whether to bring charges against Hissene Habre in accordance with Belgian law, and whether to request his extradition from Senegal. However, I can confirm that Mr. Habre was detained in Dakar on 15 November pending a Court of Appeal judgment on the merits of the Belgian extradition request. While the request is still under consideration, it is our policy not to pre-judge the outcome of the judicial deliberations.

Senegal

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what action has been taken by his Department to support efforts to bring Hissene Habre to justice for crimes against humanity.

Ian Pearson: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Sunderland, South (Mr. Mullin) on 16 November 2005, Official Report, column 1270W, and to the answers I gave the hon. Member on 21 November 2005, Official Report, columns 1591–92W and today (UIN 27028).

Staff Discipline

David Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many employees have been dismissed by his Department in each of the last five years for which figures are available.

Jack Straw: Figures are not kept for staff who have been dismissed for reasons other than misconduct.
	The numbers of staff who were dismissed for reasons of misconduct are as follows:
	
		
			  Number 
		
		
			 2001 1 
			 2002 1 
			 2003 5 
			 2004 2 
			 2005(16) 2 
		
	
	(16) To date.
	In answer to a question from my hon. Friend the Member for Thurrock (Andrew Mackinlay) on 20 December 2004, Official Report, column 1399W, my right hon. Friend the Minister of State at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office stated that three members of staff had been dismissed as a consequence of misconduct in 2004. This figure included one member of staff who was dismissed for reasons of inefficiency and should not have been included in the 2004 total.

Uganda

Mark Simmonds: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the arrest of opposition leaders in Uganda.

Ian Pearson: Following the arrest of Dr. Kiiza Besigye on 14 November, our high commissioner in Kampala, representing the EU presidency, called on President Museveni to express our concern and to press for an early and transparent trial. On 16 November, Dr. Besigye and 23 other opposition activists were charged with treason and additionally, in the case of Dr. Besigye, rape. My noble Friend the Foreign and Commonwealth Office Minister for Africa, Lord Triesman of Tottenham, also spoke with the Ugandan Foreign Minister Kutesa on 17 November to express deep concern at these developments. We continue to urge the Ugandan authorities to ensure that due legal process and protection under the constitution are afforded to all those who have been indicted and that a fair and transparent trial is held as soon as possible.

Uganda

Eric Joyce: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the arrest in Uganda of Dr. Kizza Besigye.

Ian Pearson: I refer my hon. Friend to the reply I gave the hon. Member for Boston and Skegness (Mark Simmonds) today (UIN 29807).

United States (European Detention Centres)

Lynne Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether he has received reports of detention centres for terror suspects run by the US Central Intelligence Agency in Central and Eastern Europe.

Kim Howells: I refer my hon. Friend to the answer my right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary gave the right hon. Member for North-East Fife (Sir Menzies Campbell) on 21 November 2005, Official Report, column 1592W.

West Papua

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will give details of UK-supplied military equipment currently deployed in West Papua; what guarantees he has from the Indonesian government concerning the use of UK-supplied military equipment in West Papua; what measures he has taken to ensure that UK-supplied equipment in West Papua is used in compliance with guarantees given by the Indonesian government; and if he will make a statement.

Ian Pearson: We are not aware of any UK-supplied equipment currently deployed in Papua. We have consistently made clear to the Indonesian authorities that no British-supplied equipment, or indeed any other equipment, should be used in any human rights abuses.
	All export license applications for Indonesia are rigorously assessed on a case by case basis against the EU Consolidated Criteria taking account of the circumstances prevailing at the time. We no longer seek guarantees or assurances over and above these Criteria for the use of British built equipment. If a licence application is not consistent with these Criteria it stands to be refused. Assurances are not enforceable and cannot override the assessment of the application against the criteria.

TREASURY

0870 Numbers

Vincent Cable: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will list the occasions in the last five years on which 0870 telephone numbers have been used by his Department as contact numbers for members of the public; and how much revenue was received from the use of 0870 contact numbers in each of the last five years for which records are available.

John Healey: HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) currently has contracts with two companies for telecommunications services, including non-geographic number provision (eg 0870). In the former Inland Revenue, 0870 numbers have been used mainly to provide international access to a range of customer contact services and helplines, including for example, the international Self Assessment orderline, IR35, and Construction Industry Scheme orderline, as well as new tax credits. In the former HM Customs and Excise, 0870 numbers have been used mainly in the law enforcement area.
	On average HMRC receives around 50,000 calls from the public to 0870 numbers every month. A detailed breakdown of calls to these numbers over the last five years would be available only at disproportionate cost. HMRC does not make any profit from the use of 0870 numbers.
	HM Treasury does not use 0870 numbers.

Average Annual Wages

William McCrea: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the average yearly wage was in each region of the United Kingdom in 2004.

John Healey: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician who has been asked to reply.
	Letter from Colin Mowl to Dr. William McCrea, dated 22 November 2005
	The National Statistician has been asked to reply to your recent Parliamentary Question concerning what the average yearly wage in each region of the United Kingdom was in 2004. I am replying in her absence. (30226)
	Currently average earnings are estimated from the Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings (ASHE), and are provided for full time employees on adult rates of pay who have been in the same job for more than one year. This is the standard definition used for ASHE. The ASHE does not collect data on the self employed and people who do unpaid work.
	The attached table shows the Average Gross Annual Earnings for full time employees in all regions of the UK for 2004. These statistics are also available on the National Statistics website http://www.statistics.gov.uk/statbase/Product.asp?vlnk=13290&More=n. Table 7 is earnings by region for place of work; Table 8 is earnings by region for place of residence.
	The ASHE, carried out in April of each year, is the most comprehensive source of earnings information in the United Kingdom. It is a one per cent sample of all employees who are members of pay-as-you-earn (PAYE) schemes.
	
		Gross annual pay for full-time employee jobs(17)
		
			 £ 
			  2004 
			  Work region Home region 
			  Median Mean Median Mean 
		
		
			 United Kingdom 22,100 27,000 22,100 27,000 
			 Great Britain 22,100 27,200 22,100 27,200 
			 England and Wales 22,300 27,500 22,300 27,600 
			 England 22,400 27,800 22,500 27,800 
			 North East 19,200 22,400 19,300 22,400 
			 North West 20,700 24,500 20,900 24,700 
			 Yorkshire and The Humber 20,400 24,100 20,500 24,000 
			 East Midlands 20,700 23,700 20,900 24,500 
			 West Midlands 20,800 24,400 20,800 24,500 
			 South West 20,700 24,500 21,000 25,200 
			 East 22,300 26,700 23,700 29,400 
			 London 28,800 39,600 27,100 37,000 
			 South East 23,700 28,600 24,700 31,000 
			 Wales 20,100 22,800 20,300 22,800 
			 Scotland 20,600 23,900 20,600 24,000 
			 Northern Ireland 19,600 23,100 19,600 23,100 
		
	
	(17) Employees on adult rates that have been in the same job for more than one year.
	Notes:
	1. The Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings, (ASHE), carried out in April of each year, is the most comprehensive source of earnings information in the United Kingdom. It is a one per cent sample of all employees.
	2. Average gross annual earnings for employees on adult rates who have been in the same job for more than a year.
	3. Northern Ireland unit level data are collected by DETINI under the same criteria as ASHE. The dataset is then passed to ONS.
	4. The median replaces the mean as the headline statistic. The weighted mean is the sum of the weighted values divided by the sum of the weights. The median is the value below which 50 per cent. of employees fall. It is preferred over the mean for earnings data as it is influenced less by extreme values and because of the skewed distribution of earnings data.
	Source:
	Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings, Office for National Statistics.

Charity Collections

Philip Hammond: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether (a) guidance and (b) rules are in place on collections for charities within the Department and agencies for which he is responsible.

John Healey: Each Government Department determines its own policies towards collecting monies for charities. There is no explicit guidance, nor rules relating to collections for charities within the Treasury or its associated bodies, but across the Chancellor's Departments, charities are supported through practical means. For example, the Treasury and HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) have provided secondments to the Giving Campaign and the Princes Trust, have a payroll giving scheme which has been opened and promoted to staff and have also publicised particular charitable appeals.

Construction Industry Scheme

Vincent Cable: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment he has made of the merits of an exemption for charitable organisations from the construction industry scheme prior to the implementation of the remainder of the deferred scheme; and if he will make a statement.

John Healey: The regulations which were laid on 25 July 2005 exempt charities and others from the operation of the new scheme.
	There are currently no plans to make any alterations to the existing scheme, which is now expected to continue until 5 April 2007.

Departmental Performance Reports

Tony Wright: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will place in the Library the guidance provided to Government Departments by his Department on what they should disclose in their 2005 autumn performance reports.

Des Browne: A copy of the guidance issued for the 2005 autumn performance reports has been placed in the Library.

EU's Financial Services Action Plan

Michael Gove: To ask Chancellor of the Exchequer how many of the measures outlined in the EU's Financial Services Action Plan have been implemented in the UK; whether an impact assessment has been made of each measure; and what estimate he has made of (a) the financial costs and (b) the benefits of each measure.

Theresa Villiers: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer 
	(1)  what cost impact assessment has been undertaken of the (a) EU Markets in Financial Instruments Directive, (b) EU legislation agreed under the Financial Services Action Plan and (c) EU Capital Adequacy Directive implementing the Basel 2 Accord; and if he will place copies of such assessments in the Library;
	(2)  whether the Department has conducted cost impact assessments in relation to the Prospectus Directive;
	(3)  whether his Department has conducted cost impact assessments in relation to the EU Market Abuse Directive.

John Healey: Of the 42 measures in the Financial Services Action Plan, 16 are Commission communications or recommendations which do not require transposition into member states' national law and regulations. For a further seven measures the deadline for transposition has not yet been reached. The UK has transposed the remaining 19 measures, although only partially in the case of the Directive on Occupational Retirement Provision. The Government expect the legislation required to complete its transposition to be in place before the end of 2005.
	The impact, financial costs and benefits of FSAP measures, including the Market in Financial Instruments Directive, the Capital Requirements Directive, Prospectus Directive and Market Abuse Directive, which require transposition and have a regulatory impact have been assessed in the documents listed as follows.
	
		
			 FSAP measure HMT regulatory impact assessments FSA cost-benefit analysis 
		
		
			 Prospectus Directive http://www.hm-treasury.gov.uk/media/1EA/06/20050519_Final_RIA.pdf http://www.fsa.gov.uk/pubs/cp/cp04_16.pdf 
			   http://www.fsa.gov.uk/pubs/cp/cp05_07.pdf 
			
			 Market Abuse Directive http://www.hm-treasury.gov.uk/media/4A1/1D/MAD_RIA240205.pdf http://www.fsa.gov.uk/pubs/other/eu_mad.pdf 
			
			 Transparency Directive (partial RIA) http://www.hm-treasury.gov.uk/media/B66/3B/transparency_dir_180305.pdf — 
			
			 Financial Collateral Directive http://www.hm-treasury.gov.uk/media/49B/A0/idfca_ria_0104.pdf — 
			
			 Insurance Mediation Directive http://www.hm-treasury.gov.uk/media/B85/A6/RIA03_insurance_51.pdf http://www.fsa.gov.uk/Pages/Library/Policy/CP/2002/160.shtml 
			   http://www.fsa.gov.uk/pubs/cp/cp174.pdf 
			   http://www.fsa/gov.uk.pubs/cp/cp187.pdf 
			   http://www.fsa.gov.uk/pubs/cp/CP201.pdf 
			
			 2nd Money Laundering Directive http://www.hm-treasury.gov.uk/media/4B7/B5/fullriamlr03_80.pdf http://www.fsa/gov.uk/pubs/cp/cp199.pdf 
			
			 3rd Money Laundering Directive http://www.hm-treasury.gov.uk/media/5E8/8F/200509RIA1.pdf — 
			
			 Electronic Money Directive http://www.hm-treasury.gov.uk/consultations_and_legislation/ria/consult_ria_electronic.cfm http://www.fsa.gov.uk/pubs/cp/cp117.pdf 
			   http://www.fsa.gov.uk/pubs/cp/cp172.pdf 
			
			 Directive on Winding Up of Insurance undertakings http://www.hm-treasury.gov.uk/media/39E/90/lloyds_ria210705.pdf http://www.fsa.gov.uk/pubs/cp/cp177.pdf 
			
			 Distance Marketing Directive http://www.hm-treasury.gov.uk/media/BF2/C9/ACF13FE.pdf http://www.fsa.gov.uk/pubs/cp/cp196.pdf 
			
			 Fair Value Accounting Directive http://www.hm-treasury.gov.uk/media/D72/B6/Fair_Value_RIA.pdf — 
			
			 Capital Requirements Directive http://www.hm-treasury.gov.uk./media/F10/BF/CRD_RIA.pdf http://www.fsa/gov.uk/pubs/cp/cp189.pdf 
			   http://www.fsa.gov.uk/pubs/cp/cp05_03.pdf 
			
			 International Accounting Standards (IAS) Regulation http://www.hm-treasury.gov.uk/media/D72/39/IAS_Regulation_RIA.pdf — 
			
			 Accounts Modernisation Directive http://www.hm-treasury.gov.uk/media/D72/88/Modernisation_Directive_RIA.pdf — 
			
			 Credit Institutions Winding Up Directive http://www.hm-treasury.gov.uk./media/26D/6B/cir_ria_16.pdf — 
			
			 UCITS Amending Directive — http://www.fsa.gov.uk/pubs/cp/cp135.pdf 
			
			 UCITS Management Directive — http://www.fsa.gov.uk/pubs/cp/cp163.pdf 
			
			 Settlement Finality Directive — http://www.fsa.gov.uk/pubs/policy/P27.pdf 
			
			 Solvency 1 Directives — http://www.fsa.gov.uk/pubs/cp/cp181.pdf 
			
			 Financial Groups Directive — http://www.hm-treasury.gov.uk./consultations_and_legislation/financial_groups/consult_financialgroups_index.cfm 
			
			 Markets in Financial Instruments Directive (partial RIA) Explanatory Memorandum 14796/02 (a copy is in the Library of the House) — 
			
			 Other Government Departments   
			 Occupational Retirement Provision Directive www.dwp.gov.uk/publications/dwp/2004/orp/final_ria.pdf 
			
			 European Company Statute Regulation http://www.opsi.gov.uk/si/em2004/uksiem_20042326_en.pdf

Financial Ombudsman Service

Justine Greening: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many complaints were made to the Financial Ombudsman Service in relation to life insurance policies in each year between 1997 and 2005; and how many were resolved (a) at the assessment stage, (b) after investigation by an adjudicator and (c) by final decision of an ombudsman in each case.

Dawn Primarolo: holding answer 21 November 2005
	The Financial Ombudsman Service (FOS) gained statutory powers on 1 December 2001. Composite data for life insurance related disputes (incorporating complaints about both whole of life policies and endowments other than those linked to mortgages) are only available from the year ending 31 March 2001.
	Also, FOS statistics do not record a distinction between the assessment stage and the initial investigation by an adjudicator.
	The percentages for life insurance cases resolved from this date at the assessment and investigation and the ombudsman stages are as follows:
	
		
			  Percentage 
		
		
			 Assessment and investigation  
			 1 April 2001 to 31 March 2002 89.05 
			 1 April 2002 to 31 March 2003 90.35 
			 1 April 2003 to 31 March 2004 93.35 
			 1 April 2004 to 31 March 2005 91.95 
			   
			 Ombudsman  
			 1 April 2001 to 31 March 2002 10.95 
			 1 April 2002 to 31 March 2003 9.65 
			 1 April 2003 to 31 March 2004 6.65 
			 1 April 2004 to 31 March 2005 8.05

Insurance Premium Tax

Gregory Barker: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what steps are being taken to combat fraud by insurance companies paying the insurance premium tax.

John Healey: HM Revenue and Customs continues to develop its risk-based compliance strategy for all taxes to ensure that resource is targeted most effectively at key risk areas.

Insurance Premium Tax

Gregory Barker: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what plans he has to reform the insurance premium tax.

John Healey: The Government keeps all taxes under review.

Low-income Households

Philip Hammond: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he uses (a) income before housing costs and (b) income after housing costs when calculating the number of children in relative low income households for the purposes of measuring performance against 2004 PSA Target 7.

Des Browne: The methodology for measurement of 2004 PSA target 7 is set out in the technical note for the target, published by HM Treasury in July 2004. This is available online at:
	http://www.hm-treasury.gov.uk./media/EFF/68/julytechnicalnote_300704.pdf

Media Relations

Alex Salmond: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how much his Department spent on external media relations in each year since 2001.

John Healey: HM Treasury has not spent any money on external media relations in the years from 2002–03 through to 2004–05. Due to a change in accounting system, information on spending, if any, on external media relations in earlier years could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Ministerial Decisions (Dissent)

Gordon Prentice: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will list the instances since 1990 when an accounting officer has passed a Note of Dissent to the Comptroller and Auditor General in respect of a ministerial decision.

John Healey: The following table lists the ministerial directions that the Treasury has been informed of since 1990.
	
		
			  Department Subject of direction Category of direction 
		
		
			 1990 Export Credits Guarantee Department (ECGD) Sale of British Aerospace (now BAe Systems) Hawk jets to Kenya Economy, efficiency and effectiveness 
			 1991 Ministry of Defence (MOD) Chieftain Tank replacement Economy, efficiency and effectiveness 
			 1991 The former Overseas Development Agency (ODA) Pergau Dam project Economy, efficiency and effectiveness 
			 1992 MOD HMS Endurance replacement Economy, efficiency and effectiveness 
			 1992 MOD Closure of depot at Royal Navy Stores Depot (RNSD) Copenacre Economy, efficiency and effectiveness 
			 1992 The former Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (MAFF) Location of Divisional Offices Economy, efficiency and effectiveness 
			 1992 MOD Image Intensifiers Economy, efficiency and effectiveness 
			 1993 ECGD Guarantees for Export and Investments in Russia Economy, efficiency and effectiveness 
			 1995 MOD Medium Support Helicopters Economy, efficiency and effectiveness 
			 1995 ECGD ECGD support to Jordan Economy, efficiency and effectiveness 
			 1995 The former Department of Environment, Transport and the Regions (DETR) Re-examination of the wreck of the MV Derbyshire Economy, efficiency and effectiveness 
			 1995 DETR—the former Office of Passenger Rail Franchising (OPRAF) Decision on Profit Participation in the passenger rail franchising programme Economy, efficiency and effectiveness 
			 1995 DETR-OPRAF Decision on Revenue Risk sharing in the passenger rail franchising programme Economy, efficiency and effectiveness 
			 1997 DETR Millennium Exhibition: Expenditure to regenerate the Greenwich Peninsula and to provide a site for the Millennium Exhibition Economy, efficiency and effectiveness 
			 1997 DETR Channel Tunnel Rail Link and exceptional hardship Economy, efficiency and effectiveness 
			 1998 The former Department of Social Security (DSS) Benefits Agency/Post Office Counters Ltd (BA/POCL) automation project Economy, efficiency and effectiveness 
			 1998 DSS Benefits Agency/Post Office Counters Ltd IBA/POCL) automation project Economy, efficiency and effectiveness 
			 1998 Northern Ireland Court Service Concerns an individual's personnel records Propriety/regularity 
			 1998 MOD Sale of Cadet Property in Moffat Propriety/regularity 
			 1998 DSS Benefits Integrity Project Propriety/regularity 
			 1999 DSS Benefits Integrity Project Propriety/regularity 
			 1999 DSS Benefits Integrity Project Propriety/regularity 
			 1999 ECGD Cashmere Exporters Economy, efficiency and effectiveness 
			 1999 ECGD ECGD Cover—Indonesia Economy, efficiency and effectiveness 
			 2000 ECGD ECGD Cover—Romania Economy, efficiency and effectiveness 
			 2000 MOD Use of public funds to provide financial assistance to meet cost of air flight to Croatia for member of public to attend trial of those accused of murder of his son, a British Serviceman Propriety/regularity 
			 2001 MOD Roll-on, Roll-off (RoRo) ferries Economy, efficiency and effectiveness 
			 2001 Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) Regional Selective Assistance (RSA) Regularity/propriety 
			 2002 DETR A43 Silverstone bypass Economy, efficiency and effectiveness 
			 2003 DTI Regional Selective Assistance (RSA) Economy, efficiency and effectiveness 
			 2003 MOD Acquisition of BAe Hawk trainer aircraft Economy, efficiency and effectiveness 
			 2005 DTI Bombardier C-series launch investment Value for Money 
		
	
	Note:
	This table consolidates all of the information given by Treasury Ministers in written answers on the subject of ministerial directions since the answer given by former Chief Secretary on 23 October 2000, Official Report, column 74W.

Ministerial Visit

Lynne Featherstone: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer pursuant to the answer of 17 November 2005, Official Report, columns 1519–1520W, if he will break down the total cost by individual and mode of transport; whether the costs include the costs incurred for the travel arrangements of special advisers; whether (a) his flights from Ramallah to the UK and (b) the subsequent return flight were (i) chartered flights, (ii) RAF flights and (iii) private flights; and if he will make a statement.

John Healey: I set out the costs in my answer of 17 November 2005, Official Report, columns 1519–1520W. These costs related solely to scheduled flights leaving and returning to Tel Aviv. No costs were incurred by special advisers.

Non-EU Immigration

David Davis: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the total net immigration from non-EU countries was in each year since 1997.

John Healey: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician who has been asked to reply.
	Letter from Karen Dunnell to Mr. David Davis, dated 22 November 2005
	As National Statistician, I have been asked to reply to your recent Parliamentary Question about the total net immigration from non-EU countries in each year since 1997. (30795)
	Table 1, attached below, shows estimates of net immigration from non-EU countries by all citizenships. These data are only available up to 2003. The equivalent figures for 2004 will be published in spring 2006.
	
		Table 1: Total International Migration(18): time series 1997 to 2003, Net immigration from non-EU2 countries—United Kingdom
		
			 Thousand 
			  All countries Non-EU countries2, 3 
		
		
			 1997 +46.8 +38.1 
			 1998 +138.8 +114.8 
			 1999 +163.0 +166.8 
			 2000 +162.8 +170.4 
			 2001 +171.8 +178.9 
			 2002 +153.4 +189.1 
			 2003 +151.0 +171.6 
		
	
	+ denotes a net inflow figure.
	- denotes a net outflow figure.
	(18) Data for 1997–2003 are based mainly on data from the International Passenger Survey. Includes adjustments for (1) those whose intended length of stay changes so that their migrant status changes; (2) asylum seekers and their dependants not identified by the IPS; and (3) flows between the UK and the Republic of Ireland.
	(19) Figures for all years show the non-EU as constituted at 1 January 1995. Therefore, up to and including 2003, the non-EU grouping includes the 10 accession countries of Cyprus, the Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Poland, Slovakia and Slovenia.
	(20) Includes EU citizens coming in from non-EU countries.

Overseas Public Assets

Malcolm Bruce: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer 
	(1)  what estimate his Department has made of the amount of money circulating in the UK financial system which is derived from the illicit acquisition of foreign states' public assets;
	(2)  what procedures his Department has in place for (a) identifying and (b) tracking money in the United Kingdom derived from the illicit acquisition of foreign states' public assets.

John Healey: The UK's anti-money laundering controls are supported by a robust and tested legal framework in relation to the identification and prevention of the movement of illicit funds through the country's financial system regardless of their origin.
	Investigations generated by financial sector reporting to NCIS under this framework are a matter for law enforcement. It is not possible to comment on current investigations or amounts of funds concerned without the risk of prejudicing the outcome of those investigations.

Public Service Agreements

Philip Hammond: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what baseline shares he will use to measure a reduction in the illicit market share for spirits for the purposes of measuring performance against 2004 Public Service Agreement target number 2.

Des Browne: The PSA target 1.2 states that by 2007–08 the market share for illicit spirits will be reduced by half. The methodology used to measure performance is set out in HM Customs: Public Service Agreement 2005–06 to 2007–08 technical note".

Public Service Agreements

Philip Hammond: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what (a) funding will be withheld from and (b) other action will be taken in his Department if public service agreement target number (i) one, (ii) two and (iii) three is not met.

Des Browne: Performance is taken into account in spending reviews, when the increased performance information and data provided through PSAs helps to inform those areas where policies are working well, and those where further reform might be needed.

SIPPs

John Greenway: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make it his policy to restrict holders of self invested personal pensions from using their pension funds to purchase second homes in rural areas.

Tim Farron: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make it his policy to exempt rural homes from the provisions in the next Budget for the new self-invested personal pension scheme.

Dawn Primarolo: Pension simplification sweeps away the numerous existing tax regimes and replaces them with a single universal regime for tax-privileged pension savings from 6 April 2006. These changes have been widely welcomed by savers and the financial services and pensions industry.
	The Government keeps all aspects of the tax system under review. Where there is evidence of abuse, it will take appropriate action to stop it.

Solar Photovoltaics Programme

Alan Simpson: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what provision the Treasury has made in its allocation of funding for the Department for Trade and Industry for the capital grant required to meet the Government White Paper commitment to a 10-year solar voltaics programme in line with that of Germany and Japan.

John Healey: Under the 2004 Spending Review, DTI received funding at departmental level for the three financial years to 2007–08. Allocation to programmes to support photovoltaics within the overall DTI budget is a matter for DTI Ministers.

Special Advisers

John Hemming: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will list the special advisers in post in his Department, broken down by pay band; and what the total budgeted cost to his Department of special advisers is for 2005–06.

John Healey: For the list of special advisers in HM Treasury I refer the hon. Gentleman to the answer provided by my hon. Friend the Under-Secretary of State for the Cabinet Office on 16 November 2005, Official Report, column 1257W.
	Information relating to costs for 2005–06 will be published after the end of the current financial year.

Staff Discipline

David Davies: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many employees have been dismissed by his Department in each of the last five years for which figures are available.

John Healey: The number of employees dismissed by HM Treasury in each of the last five years for conduct and capability is as follows:
	
		
			  Number 
		
		
			 2001 0 
			 2002 3 
			 2003 4 
			 2004 0 
			 2005 0

Tax Credits

Ann Widdecombe: To ask Chancellor of the Exchequer how much has been paid to claimants as a result of errors in the tax credit system; how much has been paid in compensation for distress caused by the errors; and how many claimants have been subject to tax credit errors.

Dawn Primarolo: For information on the amount paid as a result of errors, and the number of people affected by errors, I refer to the answer given to the hon. Member for Yeovil (Mr. Laws) on 2 November 2005, Official Report, column 1056W.
	The circumstances in which HM Revenue and Customs will make compensation payments to its customers are explained in the Department's Code of Practice 1 Putting things right" which is available at www.hmrc.gov.uk. The Department will pay compensation for reasonable costs incurred as a direct result of its mistakes or delays and to recognise worry and distress caused by those mistakes and delays. It does not keep separate details of compensation payments made specifically due to errors or delays. For the value of compensation payments up to 31 May 2005, I refer to the answer I gave the hon. Member for Yeovil (Mr. Laws) on 4 July 2005, Official Report, columns 95–96W. The value of compensation payments made between 1 June 2005 and 30 September 2005 was around £410,000.

Tax Credits

Lynne Featherstone: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many copies of (a) notification of tax credit awards and (b) tax credit award guidance notes (TC602NOTES) are sent to each recipient.

Dawn Primarolo: HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) is statutorily obliged to issue an award notice (TC602) to each claimant when a new claim is decided. An award notice is also sent to each claimant when their award is finalised, renewed or they report a change of circumstance. A copy of the guidance notes is issued with each award notice.
	Where a claim is made through the tax credits online service, or if a claimant fails to sign their claim, they are sent an extra copy of their award notice when HMRC decide their claim. Where an unsigned claim is from a couple, HMRC send a joint award notice with an extra copy and only one set of guidance notes. The extra copy of the award notice has a declaration they should sign and return to HMRC to confirm the details on their award notice are correct.

Tax Credits

Vera Baird: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the largest single overpayment of working tax credit in Redcar and Cleveland was in the last 12 months.

Dawn Primarolo: The information requested is not available except at disproportionate cost.

Tax Credits

David Laws: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many (a) tax credit complaints and (b) other complaints relating to Her Majesty's Revenue and Customs have been received by the Parliamentary Ombudsman in each month since March 2004; and if he will make a statement.

Dawn Primarolo: The Parliamentary Ombudsman, Ann Abraham, is an independent office-holder. She operates under the provisions of the Parliamentary Commissioner Act 1967 (as amended).
	The Parliamentary Ombudsman publishes information about the number of investigable complaints she has received in her annual report to Parliament. Her 2004–05 Annual Report, HC 348, was published on 20 July.

Wales

Bill Wiggin: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how much public money has been spent in Wales in each year since 1997; and how much public money will be spent in Wales in each year until 2010.

Des Browne: Identifiable public spending in Wales is published in Chapter 8 of Public Expenditure Statistical Analyses (Cm 6521). PESA also includes the Wales departmental expenditure limit for the years up to 2007–08. Spending beyond then will be considered in the 2007 Comprehensive Spending Review.

Wales

Bill Wiggin: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how much tax revenue has been received from Wales in each year since 1997; and how much tax revenue he expects to receive from Wales in each year until 2010.

Dawn Primarolo: The following figures from the ONS 2005 publication of household income show estimates of income tax, council taxes and vehicle taxes paid by households in Wales and the United Kingdom for the period 1997 to 2003. They were produced by ONS for the estimation of sub-national gross disposable household income and were published in April 2005.
	
		Estimates of taxes paid by households(21)
		
			 £ million 
			  Wales United Kingdom 
		
		
			 1997 3,214 89,219 
			 1998 3,696 104,820 
			 1999 3,953 112,790 
			 2000 4,148 122,967 
			 2001 4,420 131,007 
			 2002 4,543 132,222 
			 2003 4,742 137,255 
		
	
	(21) Taxes paid by households and non-profit institutions serving households.
	No corresponding information is available on taxes paid by organisations or on other taxes paid by households. Projected figures on tax revenue from Wales are not available.

HOME DEPARTMENT

Alcohol and Drug Misuse

Rosie Cooper: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many people were convicted of (a) drunkenness, (b) driving after consuming alcohol or taking drugs and (c) causing death by dangerous driving when under the influence of drink or drugs in West Lancashire in each year since 1997.

Paul Goggins: Data from the Home Office Court Proceedings database on the number of persons convicted for drunkenness, driving after consuming alcohol or taking drugs and causing death by dangerous driving when under the influence of drink or drugs in Lancashire police force area, 1997 to 2003, are given in the following table. It is not possible to identify those convicted in the West Lancashire area, as the data are not collected at this level of detail.
	Court statistics for 2004 will be available late November.
	
		Number of offenders found guilty at all courts for various offences in Lancashire police force area, 1997 to 2003(22)
		
			  Drunkenness (simple)(23) Drunkenness (with aggravation)(24) Driving after consuming alcohol or drugs(25) Causing death by dangerous driving or careless driving while under the influence of drink or drugs(26) 
		
		
			 1997 224 1,237 3,003 11 
			 1998 216 1,319 2,591 7 
			 1999 182 1,444 2,349 3 
			 2000 247 1,682 2,312 4 
			 2001 181 1,815 2,059 7 
			 2002 177 1,643 2,316 7 
			 2003 74 1,574 2,393 6 
		
	
	(22) These data are provided on the principal offence basis.
	(23) Includes offences under S.12 Licensing Act 1872, Sporting Events (Control of Alcohol etc) Act 1985 SS.1(4), 1A(4), 2.(2) and S.12 Criminal Justice & Police Act 2001.
	(24) Includes offences under S.91 Criminal Justice Act 1967. S.12 Licensing Act 1872, S.174 Licensing Act 1964, S.9(4) Late Night Refreshment Houses Act 1969, S.28 London Hackney Carriage Act 1843, SS.101(1)(a)(b), (4) & (5) Merchant Shipping Act 1995, S.2 Licensing Act 1902 and S.61 Town Police Clauses Act 1847.
	(25) Includes offences under sections 4(1),4(2), 5(1 )(a), 5(1 )(b), 6(4) and 7(6) Road traffic Act 1988.
	(26) Includes offences under Road Traffic Act 1988 S.1 as added by Road Traffic Act 1991 S.1 and Road Traffic Act 1988 S.3A as added by Road Traffic Act 1991 S.3 and amended by Criminal Justice Act 1993 S.6

Armed Police (Rules of Engagement)

Ben Wallace: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans he has to review the rules of engagement for armed police opening fire.

Hazel Blears: Operational tactics when using firearms are a matter for the police. All police use of firearms is subject to the usual law on the use of force. In particular, the Criminal Law Act 1967 provides that the police may use such force as is reasonable in the circumstances to effect an arrest or to prevent crime.

Arson

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State forthe Home Department what steps his Department istaking to reduce arson; and if he will make a statement.

Hazel Blears: The Government are fully committed to tackling arson through the achievement of our public service agreement targets to reduce deliberate fires, crime and the fear of crime and through our continued engagement in the work of the Arson Control Forum (ACF), which is led by the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister. The ACF (established in April 2001) provides the strategic direction for the national fight against arson. The Forum has invested a total of £11.3 million in local arson prevention initiatives since its creation.
	We have also recognised the important contribution of the fire and rescue service to multi-agency working. Since 1 April 2003, all fire and rescue service authorities have been statutory partners in local crime and disorder reduction partnerships (CDRPs). This is helping to ensure that the fire and rescue services play a full role in community safety and help local communities to tackle arson and the associated areas of crime.

Asylum and Immigration

Neil Gerrard: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what estimate he has made of the number of families who would be affected by the national implementation of section 9 of the Asylum and Immigration (Treatment of Claimants) Act 2004.

Tony McNulty: Section 9 enables NASS support to be withdrawn from failed asylum seeking families who are failing without reasonable excuse to take reasonable steps to leave the UK voluntarily, or to place themselves in a position in which they can do so. A lengthy process has been developed which provides oral and written warnings that families' support may be withdrawn if they fail to take steps to leave. Whether support is actually withdrawn depends on the families' reactions, and it is not therefore possible to provide a realistic estimate of the number of families which might be affected by any national roll out of section 9.

Asylum and Immigration

Laurence Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the average time failed asylum seekers have been detained under the Asylum and Immigration Act 2004 before being deported; how many people are being detained under the Act; and if he will make a statement.

Tony McNulty: holding answer 21 November 2005
	Information on the average length of detention prior to the removal or deportation of failed asylum seekers is unavailable. It would be available by examination of individual case files only at disproportionate cost.
	Quarterly snapshots are published showing the number of people detained under Immigration Act powers on the last Saturday of each quarter and these can be broken down by the length of detention. The latest published statistics on the number of asylum seekers detained covers the second quarter of 2005. Information on the number of persons detained, as at 25 June 2005 are published in the Quarterly Asylum Bulletin, table 13, on the Home Office Research Development and Statistics Directorate website at http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/rds/immigration1.html.

Asylum and Immigration

Jennifer Willott: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how his Department (a) monitors, (b) records and (c) budgets for spending on transferring failed asylum seekers between detention centres in the UK; and if he will make a statement.

Tony McNulty: The in-country escorting contract for immigration detainees is monitored by an escorting monitor who reviews performance by means which include regular meetings with the contractor, review of movement and other data and feedback from stakeholders.
	A record is maintained of the number of inter detention estate transfers of all immigration detainees.
	There is no budget allocation specifically for the transfer of failed asylum seekers between detention centres. The escorting contract price is inclusive of all moves.

Asylum and Immigration

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what steps the Government are taking to reduce the number of asylum applications to the UK; and if he will make a statement.

Tony McNulty: We have already made real progress in reducing the number of unfounded asylum applications. The monthly number of asylum applications have fallen by 75 per cent. between October 2002 and September 2005. This reduction follows the implementation of a range of legislative and operational measures designed to reduce the number of unfounded asylum applications.
	We have also dramatically reduced processing times. Around 80 per cent. of asylum claims now receive an initial decision within two months. At the same time the number of failed asylum seekers being removed from the UK has risen significantly. In 2004 over 1,000 asylum seekers were removed each month, compared with around 400 per month in 1996.
	In February 2005 we published our five-year strategy for asylum and immigration, Controlling our borders: Making migration work for Britain". The strategy set out a range of measures to strengthen our border controls and reform our asylum system. We expect that the deterrent effect of these measures will further reduce the number of unfounded asylum applications in the United Kingdom. The 'New Asylum Model' will introduce faster tightly-managed processes for all new asylum claimants, including: a new screening process for asylum applicants that enables us to put them through a processing track tailored to the characteristics of their claim; a clear contact management strategy for each processing track including compulsory contact management for those not detained; and the introduction of specialist case managers who will manage each asylum case from application right through to integration or removal. Measures to strengthen our border controls include; the roll-out of fingerprinting of all visa applicants; expanding the network of airline liaison officers who advise check-in staff on forged documents; introducing electronic checks on all those entering and leaving the country; and the roll-out of new technology, including the e-borders programme, to create a fully integrated system of immigration control.

Court Orders

Edward Balls: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many (a) antisocial behaviour orders, (b) individual support orders, (c) enforced parenting orders and (d) voluntary parenting contracts have been issued in (i) West Yorkshire and (ii) Normanton constituency since each was established.

Hazel Blears: The available information, as notified to the Home Office, on the numbers of antisocial behaviour orders (ASBOs) issued and the number of Individual Support Orders and Parenting Orders issued in tandem is given in the table.
	The Youth Justice Board collect data on parenting contracts related to crime and antisocial behaviour from Youth Offending Teams (YOTs). These data are collected at YOT area level only.
	
		The number of antisocial behaviour orders (ASBOs), individual support orders (ISOs) and parenting orders (POs) issued within West Yorkshire, as notified to the Home Office, from 1 June 20001 to 31 March 2005 (latest available).
		
			 Area ASBOs issued ISOs issued POs issued (28) 
		
		
			 West Yorkshire 399 — — 
			 of which:
			 Wakefield metropolitan district council(29) 39 — — 
		
	
	(27) From 1 April 1999 to 31 May 2000 data were collected on aggregate numbers only by police force area. During this period four ASBOs were issued within West Yorkshire.
	(28) Parenting Orders issued along with an ASBO.
	(29) In which the constituency of Normanton is located. Number of orders issued is based on those orders where prohibitions within the order relate to the local government authority area.

Crime

Adam Holloway: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on (a) levels and (b) detection rates of (i) violent crime, (ii) sexual crime, (iii) car crime, (iv) robbery and (v) burglary in Gravesham constituency.

Hazel Blears: The available information relates to the number of offences recorded and the detection rates in the North Kent Basic Command Unit (BCD) and is given in the table.
	
		Recorded crimes and detection rates in the North Kent Basic Command Unit—2004–05
		
			 Offence type Number of offences Detection rate (%) 
		
		
			 Violence against the person 3,387 41 
			 Sexual offences(30) 184 19 
			 Robbery 355 15 
			 Violent crime: 3,926 38 
			 Domestic Burglary 1,125 15 
			 Theft of a motor vehicle 1,471 10 
			 Theft from a vehicle 2,893 3 
			 Vehicle crime: 4,364 5 
		
	
	(30) The Sexual Offences Act 2003, introduced in May 2004, altered the definition and coverage of sexual offences.

Crime

Caroline Spelman: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many recorded offences of (a) violence against the person, (b) sexual offences, (c) violent crime as a whole, (d) burglary, (e) robbery, (f) theft of a vehicle and (g) theft from a vehicle there were in each crime and disorder reduction partnership area in England and Wales in each year since the present recording system was established.

Hazel Blears: The present recording system was adopted following the introduction of the National Crime Recording Standard (NCRS) on one April 2002. The NCRS was introduced with the aim of promoting greater consistency between police forces in the recording of crime and to take a more victim-orientated approach to crime recording.
	The introduction of the Sexual Offences Act 2003 in May 2004 resulted in substantial changes to the sexual offences group. In particular, the redefining of the offences of exposure into the sexual offences group resulted in substantial increases in this category nationally.
	I will arrange for copies of the tables to be placed in the Library.

Crime

John Mann: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many burglaries have been recorded in (a) B division and (b) the Worksop sub-division of Nottinghamshire police in each month since June 2001.

Hazel Blears: holding answer 8 November 2005
	The requested information for Nottinghamshire 'Area B' Basic Command Unit (BCU) is given in the following tables. Monthly data can be subject to fluctuation and seasonality.
	Figures for Worksop sub-division are included within the 'Area B' BCU and cannot be separately identified.
	
		Table 1: Recorded offences of burglary in the Nottinghamshire 'Area B' Basic Command Unit (BCU)
		
			 Month/year Burglary in a dwelling Burglary in other building Total burglary 
		
		
			 June 2001 119 217 336 
			 July 2001 127 237 364 
			 August 2001 180 237 417 
			 September 2001 147 187 334 
			 October 2001 140 208 348 
			 November 2001 154 242 396 
			 December 2001 152 197 349 
			 January 2002 180 217 397 
			 February 2002 241 346 587 
			 March 2002 166 291 457 
		
	
	Note:
	The data in this table are prior to the introduction of the National Crime Recording Standard. These figures are not directly comparable with those for later months.
	
		Table 2: Recorded offences of burglary in the Nottinghamshire 'Area B' Basic Command Unit (BCU) 
		
			 Month/year Burglary in a dwelling Burglary in other building Total burglary 
		
		
			 April 2002 147 297 444 
			 May 2002 187 340 527 
			 June 2002 164 319 4S3 
			 July2002 122 282 404 
			 August 2002 205 285 490 
			 September 2002 149 236 385 
			 October 2002 161 236 397 
			 November 2002 141 248 389 
			 December 2002 131 219 350 
			 January 2003 168 221 389 
			 February 2003 141 228 369 
			 March 2003 163 261 424 
			 April 2003 177 312 489 
			 May 2003 178 339 517 
			 June 2003 162 305 467 
			 July 2003 151 340 491 
			 August 2003 154 232 386 
			 September 2003 135 252 387 
			 October 2003 128 204 332 
			 November 2003 122 206 328 
			 December 2003 119 192 311 
			 January 2004 163 212 375 
			 February 2004 116 180 296 
			 March 2004 114 213 327 
			 April 2004 139 177 316 
			 May 2004 99 205 304 
			 June 2004 97 198 295 
			 July 2004 84 225 309 
			 August 2004 106 145 251 
			 September 2004 81 172 253 
			 October 2004 87 175 262 
			 November 2004 79 167 246 
			 December 2004 81 160 241 
			 January 2005 71 201 272 
			 February 2005 53 142 195 
			 March 2005 74 150 224 
		
	
	Note:
	The data in this table take account of the introduction of the National Crime Recording standard in April 2002. These figures are not directly comparable with those for earlier months.

Criminal Records Bureau

Mark Williams: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what (a) average and (b) maximum time was taken to process (i) a Criminal Records Bureau check, (ii) a full protection of vulnerable adults check (POVA) and (iii) a POVA first check in the last year for which figures are available.

Hazel Blears: The Criminal Records Bureau's (CRB's) performance for standard disclosures has consistently exceeded the target of 93 per cent. issued within two weeks. This is because the processing of a standard disclosure is entirely within the direct control of the CRB.
	However, the performance for enhanced disclosures is currently below its target of processing 90 per cent. within four weeks. This is because enhanced disclosures involve an additional level of check by police forces and the CRB relies on forces to complete their checks efficiently.
	During the period October 2004 to September 2005, the average processing time for a CRB check was 26.09 days. The average processing time has been calculated to include time out with the customer. The maximum length of time taken to process a check during this period was 356 days.
	There are no data available to determine the average or maximum time taken to process a full POVA check or a POVA first check, because these figures are not collated centrally. However, during the aforementioned period, 95.1 per cent. of POVA first checks were completed within 48 hours and 97.5 per cent. were completed within 72 hours against service standards of 98 per cent. and 100 per cent. respectively.

Deaths in Custody

Henry Bellingham: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many deaths have occurred in police custody in each of the last five years; and if he will make a statement.

Hazel Blears: The total number of deaths of those coming into contact with the police over the last five years of published figures is in the following table.
	We recognise that a significant proportion of deaths occur outside the custody suite. That is why we have been working with the Association of Chief Police Officers and the National Centre for Policing Excellence and other stakeholders to provide guidance on safer detention of detainees on the street, in transport to and from the police station and in the police station. The guidance is due for publication in spring 2006. In addition, the Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC) launched a major research study in July 2005 into fatal police driving accidents. The findings are expected to be published in early 2007.
	The revised categories which came into effect on 1 April 2002 are set out in Home Office Circular 13/2002.
	
		Deaths from 1999–2000 to 2003–04
		
			 Number 
			  Category A Category B Category 1 Category 2 Category 3 Category 4 Total 
		
		
			 1999–2000 27 43 — — — — 70 
			 2000–01 22 30 — — — — 52 
			 2001–02 21 49 — — — — 70 
			 2002–03 — — 40 3 40 21 104 
			 2003–04 — — 38 1 38 23 100

Departmental Legislation

Simon Hughes: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list the criminal offences created in legislation sponsored by his Department from May 1997 up to and including April 2005, broken down by Act.

Charles Clarke: holding answer 11 November 2005
	The latest information available shows that between 1 May 1997 and April 2005 the Home Office created 404 new offences.
	Criminal offences may be created for different reasons and do not necessarily extend the scope of the criminal law. For example the Sexual Offences Act 2003 created and repealed a large number of offences without significantly changing the overall coverage of the law.
	The Crime and Disorder Act 1998 created two new offences. It also created nine racially-aggravated offences (amended by the Anti-terrorism, Crime and Security Act 2001 to racially or religiously aggravated offences"), but these are based on existing offences and do not render unlawful behaviour which would otherwise have been lawful. The Data Protection Act 1998 created four new offences.
	The Immigration and Asylum Act 1999 created 12 new offences. The Youth Justice and Criminal Evidence Act 1999 created four new offences. The Football (Offences and Disorder) Act 1999 created one new offence.
	The Terrorism Act 2000 created 38 new offences. The Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act 2000 created four new criminal offences. The Football (Disorder) Act 2000 created two new criminal offences. The Licensing (Young Persons) Act 2000 created one new criminal offence. The Freedom of Information Act 2000 created three new criminal offences. The Political Parties, Elections and Referendums Act 2000 created 69 new criminal offences. The Criminal Justice and Court Services Act 2000 created three new criminal offences. The Sexual Offences (Amendment) Act 2000 created two new criminal offences. The Criminal Justice and Police Act 2001 created 15 new criminal offences. The Vehicle (Crimes) Act 2001 created 12 new criminal offences. The Private Security Industry Act 2001 created 10 new offences. The Anti-terrorism, Crime and Security Act 2001 created 19 new offences. The International Criminal Court Act 2001 created two new criminal offences.
	The Mobile Telephones (Re-programming) Act 2002 created five new criminal offences. The Nationality, Immigration and Asylum Act 2002 created 19 new criminal offences. The Police Reform Act 2002 created 23 new criminal offences. The Proceeds of Crime Act 2002 created 28 new criminal offences.
	The Sexual Offences Act 2003 created, modified or re-enacted 61 criminal offences. The Crime (International Co-operation) Act 2003 created one new criminal offence and modified another. The Anti-social Behaviour Act 2003 created 15 new criminal offences. The Female Genital Mutilation Act 2003 created two new criminal offences.
	The Domestic Violence, Crime and Victims Act 2004 created two new offences. The Asylum and Immigration (Treatment of Claimants, etc.) Act 2004 created eight new criminal offences and modified six criminal offences.
	The Prevention of Terrorism Act 2005 created three new criminal offences. The Drugs Act 2005 created two new criminal offences. The Serious Organised Crime and Police Act 2005 created 26 new criminal offences.

Domestic Violence

Madeleine Moon: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many domestic violence incidents were recorded in each region in Wales in the last five years.

Hazel Blears: Details of the numbers of domestic violence incidents are collected by Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Constabulary (HMIC) at police force level only (see table).
	The Government defines a domestic violence incident as:
	Any incident of threatening behaviour, violence or abuse between adults who are, or have, been intimate partners or family members".
	This definition, commonly agreed in 2004–05, is wider than the previous Home Office definition and follows the definition already used by the Association of Chief Police Officers. Police forces are advised to count all incidents initially recorded as domestic violence regardless of the final outcome, e.g. if the incident is finally charged as an assault.
	Between 1999–2000 and 2000–01 the definition covered current and former partners but did not include violence between family members over 18. The definition was:
	Any violence between current or former partners in an intimate relationship, wherever and whenever the violence occurs. The violence may include physical, sexual, emotional or financial".
	
		Number of domestic violence incidents in Wales
		
			 Force name 2000–01 2001–02 2002–03 2003–04 2004–05(31) 
		
		
			 Dyfed-Powys 2,841 3,261 3,356 3,775 3,960 
			 Gwent 3,149 2,007 2,500 2,196 2,192 
			 North Wales 3,436 4,553 6,606 4,930 n/a 
			 South Wales 7,782 10,030 13,479 14,986 14,796 
			 Wales (32)17,208 19,851 25,941 25,887 n/a 
		
	
	(31) Change in definition.
	(32) When considering the number of domestic violence incidents for Wales as a whole, there is a discrepancy between the 2000–01 figures for the number of domestic violence incidents provided by HMIC for this PQ and figures generated by HMIC for a PQ in 2002 (Hansard No. 56175 16/05/02). HMIC has advised that this may be due to the changes in the definition of a 'domestic violence incident' over this period which could have led to subsequent changes in the HMIC data.

Drink Driving

Tom Brake: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many convictions for drink-driving resulted in custodial sentences in 2004, broken down by police authority.

Hazel Blears: The information is shown in the table:
	
		'Driving etc, after consuming alcohol or taking drugs' by police force,2004
		
			 England and Wales  
			 Police force area Sentenced Immediate custody 
		
		
			 Avon and Somerset 2,457 70 
			 Bedfordshire 987 45 
			 Cambridgeshire 993 18 
			 Cheshire 1,934 55 
			 City of London 148 4 
			 Cleveland 915 21 
			 Cumbria 800 19 
			 Derbyshire 1,659 72 
			 Devon and Cornwall 2,340 52 
			 Dorset 1,119 24 
			 Durham 1,105 37 
			 Essex 2,597 210 
			 Gloucestershire 841 14 
			 Greater Manchester 4,178 191 
			 Hampshire 3,432 95 
			 Hertfordshire 1,738 38 
			 Humberside 1,425 47 
			 Kent 2,746 74 
			 Lancashire 2,427 57 
			 Leicestershire 1,547 60 
			 Lincolnshire 1,104 24 
			 Merseyside 2,484 129 
			 Metropolitan police 11,896 507 
			 Norfolk 1,106 37 
			 North Yorkshire 1,024 13 
			 Northamptonshire 844 33 
			 Northumbria 2,348 84 
			 Nottinghamshire 1,467 48 
			 South Yorkshire 1,956 51 
			 Staffordshire 1,527 58 
			 Suffolk 1,186 45 
			 Surrey 1,369 25 
			 Sussex 2,295 46 
			 Thames Valley 3,283 94 
			 Warwickshire 789 11 
			 West Mercia 1,617 51 
			 West Midlands 4,947 213 
			 West Yorkshire 3,458 125 
			 Wiltshire 903 14 
			 England 80,991 2,811 
			 Dyfed-Powys 872 18 
			 Gwent 1,056 27 
			 North Wales 1,190 32 
			 South Wales 2,493 95 
			 Wales 5,611 172 
			 England and Wales 86,602 2,983 
		
	
	Source:
	RDS-NOMS 09/11/05

Firearms

Jonathan Djanogly: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when the replacement to the Firearms Consultative Committee will be established.

Hazel Blears: holding answer 10 November 2005
	We will reconsider whether a two-tier firearms advisory committee should be established once we have determined how to deal with the review of firearms controls.

Fixed-penalty Notices

David Davis: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many fixed penalty notices have been issued by (a) community support officers and (b) police officers for truancy under Paragraph 1(2)(aa) of Schedule 4 to the Police Reform Act 2002 in each of the last three years, broken down by police authority.

Jacqui Smith: I have been asked to reply.
	My Department began collecting data on penalty notices (in cases of non-attendance at school) from local authorities in England in September 2004. These penalty notices may be issued by authorised local authority staff, head teachers and school staff authorised by them, police and community support officers. Between September 2004 and 31 July 2005 (the latest date for which information is available) local authorities have reported that 3,483 penalty notices have been issued. We do not collect data on who issues penalty notices. The data are broken down by local authority not police authority and are available on the school attendance section of my Department's website, www.dfes.gov.uk/schoolattendance.

Fixed-penalty Notices

Ben Chapman: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when in 2006 he expects figures to be available on the number of prosecutions and fixed penalties issued in 2004 for each of the police forces in England and Wales for the offence of using a mobile phone while driving.

Paul Goggins: Motoring offences statistics are part of National Statistics. The pre-announced date for availability of data is March 2006.

Forensic Services

John Hemming: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what assessment he has made of whether the forensic services have sufficient capacity available to facilitate the investigation of terrorist offences; and if he will make a statement.

Charles Clarke: Forensic services called upon to assist terrorism investigations come from a number of organisations including specialist services provided by the Defence Science and Technology Laboratory and the Forensic Science Service. These services have the capacity available to facilitate investigations of terrorist offences through the provision of a range of forensic services and techniques. These include the recovery and analysis of DNA, which can assist in the identification of offenders and victims, the analysis of explosives and the recovery of data from electronic devices. Resources are allocated by the organisations as needed, with priority given to terrorism investigations and prosecutions.

Hunting Act

Gordon Prentice: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what discussions he has had with the Association of Chief Police Officers on the enforcement of the Hunting Act 2004; and if he will make a statement.

Hazel Blears: The Association of Chief Police Officers (ACPO) has made it clear that the police will enforce the Hunting Act 2004. ACPO has issued guidance for police forces on the practical aspects of enforcing the Hunting Act and a training package.

IT Systems

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what action he is taking to achieve the full connectivity between the probation and prison IT systems, referred to on page 100 of the 2005 Departmental Report.

Fiona Mactaggart: The departmental report includes the target of connecting the probation and prison OASys IT systems in the financial year 2005–06. Following successful piloting the rollout of connectivity is under way. Four probation areas are now connected to the Prison Service and we expect to achieve the target set in the Report.

Licensing Act

Mark Hunter: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what assessment he has made of the implications of the Licensing Act 2003 in determining the 2006–07 revenue support grant for police authorities in England.

Hazel Blears: Under the outgoing licensing law, the police are annually engaged in over 1.6 million administrative licensing processes which will be streamlined to around 170,000 under the Licensing Act 2003 resulting in a saving of up to £15 million annually. The Act will also give the police further powers to tackle alcohol related disorder, for instance through allowing temporary or permanent reductions in trading hours. The provisional grant settlement for 2006–07 will be announced in late November/early December.

Murder Investigations

Nadine Dorries: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the Government's policy is on the role of the media in investigations of murder; and if he will make a statement.

Hazel Blears: It is for individual senior investigating officers to decide on media handling for individual murder investigations. The media can play an important role in the detection of serious offences and advice on media handling in these offences is provided by the Association of Chief Police Officers and the National Centre for Policing Excellence.

National Sanction Detection Rate

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on the change in the national sanction detection rate referred to on page 97 of the 2005 departmental report.

Hazel Blears: The departmental report 2004–05 refers to the aim to increase the national sanction detection rate to bring more offences to justice in order to deliver the SR04 PSA3 aim of bringing 1.25 million offences to justice by 2007–08 (with an interim target of 1.15 million for 2005–06). It is estimated that to bring 1.25 million offences to justice by 2007–08 will require a sanction detection rate of 25 per cent, a figure which was included in the National Policing Plan 2005–08.
	The Government acknowledge the need to improve sanction detection rates across all police forces. For that reason, a major drive has been under way since last summer with the aim of achieving a significant increase in sanction detection rates. This includes a range of operational improvements intended to build the investigative capability of the police service, together with some targeted support for forces with performance concerns.
	Data for 2004–05 show that this concerted effort is leading to performance improvements, with the sanction detection rate increasing from 19 per cent. in 2003–04 to 21 per cent. in 2004–05. Provisional data for 2005–06 (unchecked management information) indicates that there have been continued improvements in sanction detection rates nationally, and that performance is currently ahead of the estimated required trajectory to achieve both the interim 2005–06 target and the PSA3 target in 2007–08.

PACE and CPI Acts

Claire Curtis-Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list the codes of practice associated with the Police and Criminal Evidence Act 1984 and the Criminal Procedure and Investigations Act 1996; and what the reference numbers of the codes are in each case.

Hazel Blears: There are currently six Codes of Practice under the Police and Criminal Evidence Act 1984 (PACE):
	PACE Code A—Exercise by: Police officers of statutory powers of stop and search; Police officers and police staff of requirements to record public encounters.
	PACE Code B—Searches of premises by police officers and the seizure of property found by police officers on persons or premises
	PACE Code C—Detention, treatment and questioning of persons by police officers
	PACE Code D—Identification of persons by police officers
	PACE Code E—Tape recording interviews with suspects
	PACE Code F—Visual recording with sound of interviews with suspects
	The current version of the Codes came into effect on one August 2004 and were introduced by SI 2004/1887 http://www.opsi.gov.uk/si/si2004/20041887.htm.
	The current version of the Code of Practice under section 23(1) of the Criminal Procedure and Investigations Act 1996 came into effect on four April 2005 and was introduced by SI 2005/985 http://www.opsi.gov.uk/si/si2005/20050985.htm.
	Copies of these Codes of practice are available from The Stationery Office (PACE Codes—ISBN 0113412940/CPIA Codes—ISBN0113413033) or can be found on the Home Office website:
	PACE Codes—http://police.homeoffice.gov.uk/operational -policing/powers-pace-codes/pace-codes.html CPIA Code— http://police.homeoffice.gov.uk/news-and-publications/pub lication/operational-policing/Disclosure_code_of_practice. pdf

Parliamentary Questions

Phyllis Starkey: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he expects to reply to the questions tabled by the hon. Member for Milton Keynes South West relating to General Almog tabled for answer on (a) 11 October 2005, ref 17028 and (b) 19 October 2005, ref 19756.

Tony McNulty: I wrote to my hon. Friend on 21 November 2005.

Parliamentary Questions

Jennifer Willott: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he will reply to Question number 18971, tabled on 12 October and due for answer on 14 October.

Tony McNulty: I replied to the hon. Member on 14 November 2005, Official Report, column 987W.

Police

Michael Penning: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what steps the Government are taking to improve the quality of local policing in Hertfordshire; and if he will make a statement.

Hazel Blears: The Government are committed to a major programme of police reform, to help build safer and stronger communities. This will help to drive performance in every force and includes:
	building a more responsive, citizen-focused police service with neighbourhood policing at its heart
	reshaping the national policing landscape to ensure effective policing at district, force and national level
	further modernising the police workforce.
	This is building on the significant progress that has already been made:
	overall crime is down by 35 per cent. since 1997 and the chance of being a victim of crime is at a 20-year low
	police numbers are at an all time high. We now have over 141,000 police officers, 71,000 police staff and 6,300 community support officers
	investment in policing has increased by over a quarter since 1997
	We have also sought to instil a strong performance culture. This is taking hold delivering real and sustainable improvements.
	In terms of Hertfordshire police's performance and how this is enhanced, as for any force this is principally a matter for the Chief Officer team and the Police Authority.
	The Home Office has recently published assessments for every force in the country. Hertfordshire police received the following assessments from the Police Performance Assessments 2004–05.
	
		
			 Performance area Delivery Direction 
		
		
			 Reducing Crime Fair Stable 
			 Investigating Crime Good Improved 
			 Promoting Safety Fair Stable 
			 Providing Assistance Good Improved 
			 Citizen Focus Good Stable 
			 Resource Use Good Improved 
			 Local Policing Good Stable 
		
	
	The force received a generally strong assessment, with five good gradings and three improved grades.

Police

Charles Walker: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will take steps to increase the accountability of the police to elected representatives; and if he will make a statement.

Hazel Blears: The White Paper 'Building Communities, Beating Crime' published in November 2004, set out proposals for strengthening the accountability of police forces, including through changes to the membership and role of police authorities. We will review these proposals in the light of the establishment of strategic police forces, but elected representatives will continue to form the majority of police authority members. In addition, we are exploring ways to improve accountability at basic command unit level.

Police

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department for what reason the National Framework of Guaranteed Police Service Standards is not to be published until November 2006.

Hazel Blears: The Home Office and the Association of Chief Police Officers (ACPO) have worked together to develop national standards that set out the quality of service members of the public can expect whenever they have contact with the police.
	The national Quality of Service Commitment is to be launched to the public in November 2006. This timescale has been agreed to give forces sufficient time to identify and implement change, to ensure they are compliant with the standards.

Police

Michael Penning: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what residency qualifications are operated by the Hertfordshire Police when considering recruitment applications; what plans he has to review the qualifications; and if he will make a statement.

Hazel Blears: Hertfordshire Constabulary follow Home Office guidelines which are set out in Home Office Circular 54/2003, a copy of which has been placed in the Library.
	Candidates who are not citizens of the United Kingdom or a member of the European Economic Community must have indefinite leave to remain in the United Kingdom.
	Where recent time has been spent abroad, checks will need to be made through overseas police channels as part of the recruitment vetting process. Applicants who cannot be vetted cannot be appointed. This policy is reviewed regularly.

Police

Justine Greening: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department 
	(1)  how many fully trained police officers were allocated to the London borough of Wandsworth on 31 March in each year since 1997, broken down by rank;
	(2)  how many community support officers were allocated to the London borough of Wandsworth in each year since 1997.

Hazel Blears: holding answer 15 November 2005
	Information on the number of police officers in basic command units has only been collected since March 2002 and is not collected by rank. The same information for community support officers is only available from June 2005. Police officer and community support officer numbers for the Wandsworth borough operational command unit are set out in the following table. The deployment of police service personnel to each London borough operational command unit and to other specialist units in the Metropolitan Police Service is a matter to be determined by the Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis (Sir Ian Blair).
	
		Wandsworth borough operational command unit. Police officer and community support officer numbers since 2002.
		
			 As at 31 March Police officer numbers Community support officer (CSO) numbers 
		
		
			 2002(33) 563 — 
			 2003(34) 557 — 
			 2004 612 — 
			 2005 582 (35)46 
		
	
	(33) 2002 data collected by HM Inspectorate of Constabulary.
	(34) 2003 onwards collected by Home Office Research, Development and Statistics Directorate (except CSO data which has been especially collected for 2005 by Policing Policy Directorate.
	(35) At 30 June.

Police

Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department which police forces have a policy of attending every reported crime.

Hazel Blears: Attendance policy in respect of individual crime types is essentially an operational matter for chief officers and police authorities to determine. This information is not therefore collected centrally.

Police

Greg Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many police officers use helmet-mounted video cameras; in which police forces such equipment is used; and what the cost thereof was for each constabulary in each of the last five years.

Hazel Blears: holding answer 21 November 2005
	The Home Office Scientific Development Branch has received no formal approach from ACPO to be involved in such development, so it has no knowledge of the current numbers of systems being developed piece-meal within Forces or being used by officers on the street.

Police

Peter Luff: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what powers he has to merge police authorities.

Hazel Blears: Sections 32 to 34 of the Police Act 1996 make provision for the alteration of police force areas in England and Wales (other than the City of London police area) by secondary legislation. Under these provisions the Secretary of State may make an order either if he has received a request to make alterations from the police authorities for each of the areas affected by them (in which case the negative resolution procedure applies), or if it appears to him that it is expedient to make the alterations in the interests of efficiency and effectiveness (in which case the affirmative procedure applies). By virtue of section 34 of the 1996 Act, an order may include supplementary and transitional provisions, including provision as to the membership of a police authority for the police force for the new force area.

Police

Peter Luff: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what assessment he has made of the possible impact of merging police forces on the accountability of chief constables to local communities.

Hazel Blears: Chief constables of strategic police forces will continue, as now, to be accountable to the communities they serve both directly and through their police authorities. As a consequence of restructuring, we are examining ways of strengthening the accountability arrangements both at force and Basic Command Unit level.

Police

David Davis: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many abandoned vehicles have been removed by (a) community support officers and (b) police officers under paragraph 10 of schedule 4 to the Police Reform Act 2002 in each of the last four years, broken down by police authority.

Hazel Blears: These data are not collected centrally.
	However, the proportion of people who think that abandoned or burnt out cars in their area is big/fairly big problem has dropped from 14 per cent. in 2003–04 to 11 per cent. in 2004–05. (British Crime Survey figures).

Police

David Davis: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department 
	(1)  on how many occasions in each of the last four years (a) drugs have been seized from people and (b) names and addresses of those suspected of being in possession of drugs have been taken by (i) community support officers and (ii) police officers under paragraphs 7B and 7C of schedule 4 to the Police Reform Act 2002, broken down by police authority;
	(2)  how many searches have been carried out on detained persons for dangerous items or items that could be used to assist escape by (a) community support officers and (b) police officers under paragraph 2A of schedule 4 to the Police Reform Act 2002 in each of the last four years, broken down by police authority.

Hazel Blears: This information is not collected centrally. These powers are not currently available to community support officers as they were introduced by the Serious Organised Crime and Police Act 2005 and have not yet been commenced.

Police

David Davis: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many names and addresses of (a) drivers and (b) pedestrians have been taken by community support officers under paragraph 3A of Schedule 4 to the Police Reform Act 2002 in each of the last four years, broken down by police authority.

Hazel Blears: We do not hold this information centrally.

Police

David Davis: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many cycles have been stopped by (a) community support officers and (b) police officers for the purpose of issuing a fixed penalty notice under paragraph 1(2)(b) of Schedule 4 to the Police Reform Act 2002 in each of the last four years, broken down by police authority.

Paul Goggins: We do not hold this information centrally.

Police

Peter Luff: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what factors led to the decision to request chief constables to produce implementation plans for police force re-organisation in December.

Hazel Blears: The 'Closing the Gap' report by Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Constabulary concluded that the existing 43 force structure was no longer fit for purpose. The report found that below a certain size there simply is not a sufficient critical mass to provide the necessary sustainable level of protective services that the 21st century increasingly demands. As a result, my right hon. Friend the Home Secretary has asked police authorities and chief constables to submit to him proposals for restructuring by 23 December 2005. There is a general recognition that, in order to minimise any disruption, restructuring should be implemented as quickly as possible once final decisions on its form have been made.

Police

Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he expects to draw conclusions on the pilot scheme into hand held computers for police officers on the beat.

Hazel Blears: The police have defined their requirements for using wireless technology to combat crime. These requirements are being fed into a number of trials with different police forces. The trials are expected to be completed by mid 2006, at which time the results will be circulated to all forces.

Prisons

Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on his policy on the early release of prisoners.

Fiona Mactaggart: Determinate sentence prisoners sentenced on or after 1 October 1992 to a term of imprisonment of four years or more in respect of offences committed prior to 4 April 2005 are entitled to be considered for early release on parole at any point after the half way point of their sentence. They will be on licence from the point at which they are released until the two thirds point of their sentence, and are then subject to recall for the remainder of their sentence if they commit a further offence. Prisoners sentenced to one year but under four years are released automatically at the half way point; on licence to the two thirds point and subject to recall if they commit a further offence for the remainder of their sentence. Prisoners sentenced to under 12 months are released automatically at the half way point and subject to recall if they commit a further offence during the remainder of their sentence.
	Under the provisions of the Criminal Justice Act 2003 sexual or violent offenders who present a significant risk will receive an extended sentence, under which the entire custodial period set by the court may be spent in prison; or, depending on the offence, an indeterminate sentence, under which the offender must spend a minimum period of time in prison, and can be kept in prison indefinitely. Other offenders, who receive a standard determinate sentence, are released automatically at the half way point and remain on licence until the end of sentence.
	The Home Detention Curfew (HDC) scheme enables suitable prisoners, primarily those serving sentences of between three months and under four years, to return to the community up to 135 days earlier than their normal release date (half-way point of the sentence). They are subject to an electronically monitored curfew, normally for 12 hours a day. If they breach the licence conditions they are liable to be returned to prison to serve the remaining custodial portion of their sentence in custody.
	Certain categories of prisoners are statutorily excluded from HDC.
	The Early Removal Scheme broadly mirrors the HDC scheme and provides for determinate sentence prisoners (who are due to be released under either the Criminal Justice Act 1991 or the Criminal Justice Act 2003) and who are liable to be removed or deported from the United Kingdom, to be removed up to 135 days before their release date.

Prisons

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department 
	(1)  what (a) assessment he has made of and (b) guidance he has issued on the need to adhere to the reception criteria of an institution when deciding to place a prisoner;
	(2)  what assessment he has made of the impact of overcrowding within the prison system on the placing of prisoners in suitable institutions;
	(3)  what assessment he has made of the criteria governing the suitability of prisoners for open conditions.

Fiona Mactaggart: Each prison has its own acceptance criteria, which are agreed between the governor and Prison Service operational manager (or director and operational manager for contracted prisons) and the National Offender Management Service (NOMS). These protocols are reviewed regularly by NOMS.
	The use of crowded conditions within the prison estate is kept under review. Prisoners are moved to suitable establishments as part of their sentence plan, following re-categorisation or where there is an operational need to do so. They can only move to those prisons with vacancies. There is no question of prisons being required to take unsuitable prisoners.
	Guidance on prisoner security categorisation has been issued and is kept under ongoing review. Existing guidance allows for the re-categorisation of prisoners unsuitable for open conditions and their return to a closed establishment. Work is under way to review and revise initial categorisation procedures, including the criteria for categorisation and allocation to open conditions.

Rape Cases

Vera Baird: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what monitoring is being undertaken of the impact of the provisions in the Sexual Offences Act 2003 on the conviction rate in rape cases.

Paul Goggins: We are currently undertaking a stock take of the Sexual Offences Act 2003 to ensure that it is working as intended and providing a framework that reflects the nature of sexual offending as it currently is committed and is capable of convicting and punishing the guilty. That stock take will be completed by the end of the year.
	We have also sought to improve the investigation and prosecution of rape cases through the Rape Action Plan, which was published by the government in 2002. The plan followed a thorough inspection by Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Constabulary (HMIC) and Her Majesty's Crown Prosecution Service Inspectorate (HMCPSI). It sets out a series of measures to improve the investigation of rape cases by the police; the quality of advice, decision making, case preparation and presentation at court by prosecutors; and the treatment of victims and witnesses in cases involving allegations of rape and sexual assault.
	We have undertaken a stock take of the Rape Action Plan to find out how well these measures have been implemented, and what remains to be done. The results of the stock take will feed into a follow-up inspection by the HMIC and HMCPSI to take place early next year.

Safety/Speed Cameras

Gwyneth Dunwoody: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many covert speed cameras there were in England in 2004; and how many covert speed cameras he expects to be installed in England in the next five years.

Paul Goggins: This information is not collected centrally.
	Police forces have the operational discretion to undertake speed enforcement by visible or covert means anywhere within their force area. Covert enforcement is not supported by the national safety camera programme and it is likely to be only in exceptional circumstances that the police judge that covert enforcement is the most appropriate means of dealing with a situation.

Safety/Speed Cameras

Adam Holloway: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what tests were carried out to investigate the accuracy of the LTI20/20 light-weight handheld speed camera before it was approved for use by police forces.

Paul Goggins: The detailed testing requirements are set out in The Speed Meter Handbook published by the Home Office Scientific Development Branch and available on the Home Office website at www.scienceandresearch.homeoffice.gov.uk/hosdb/publications.

Safety/Speed Cameras

Adam Holloway: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what assessment he has made of the reliability of evidence produced by the LTI20/20 light-weight hand held speed camera.

Paul Goggins: The LTI 20.20 is self-calibrating with an internal fault-reporting system, but as with all devices, it is in addition required to undergo regular calibration checks. I am satisfied that evidence obtained from the LTI 20.20 is reliable.

Sexual Assaults

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what estimate he has made of the percentage of sexual assaults that are unreported; and what steps the Government are taking to encourage the reporting of sexual assaults.

Paul Goggins: According to the British Crime Survey Interpersonal Violence Module (2001), only 15 per cent. of rapes came to the attention of the police. Estimations of the proportion of sexual assaults that are unreported are unavailable.
	The Government have undertaken a range of work to improve confidence in the police and criminal justice system, and to enhance the care of victims in the aftermath of a sexual assault, which we believe will encourage more victims to come forward.
	The Sexual Offences Act 2003 introduced a modern framework for prosecuting sex offences, giving the criminal justice agencies the tools to bring more offenders to justice, and better manage sex offenders.
	The Rape Action Plan, published in 2002, sets out a series of measures to improve the investigation and prosecution of rape cases and the treatment of victims and witnesses. These include the introduction of the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) rape policy, specialist rape prosecutors, guidance for police, and better provision of information to the victim. The Home Office has been working closely with the Association of Chief Police Officers (ACPO) and the CPS to implement the plan.
	In order to improve the standard of victim care, the Government have supported the expansion of the network of Sexual Assault Referral Centres (SARCs), where victims can receive medical care, counselling and a forensic examination. There are currently 13 SARCs in England and Wales with further SARCs under development supported by funding from the £4 million Victims Fund (2004–06), set aside to fund services for victims of sexual offending.

Sexually Transmitted Diseases

Andrew Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many prosecutions for (a) reckless and (b) deliberate transmission of sexually transmitted diseases have been (i) brought to court and (ii) succeeded in each year since 1997.

Paul Goggins: Information on the number of prosecutions and convictions for the reckless or deliberate transmission of sexually transmitted diseases is not available. Cases of this kind are likely to be dealt with as grievous bodily harm under Sections 18 or 20, Offences Against the Person Act 1861 and cannot be separately identified from other cases of grievous bodily harm as the circumstances surrounding an offence are not centrally collected

Terrorism

Alistair Carmichael: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department 
	(1)  what plans he has to review the amount of Government compensation given to British victims of terrorism abroad; whether he intends to conduct a consultation on changes to the current system; and if he will make a statement;
	(2)  if he will make a statement on the compensation available to British victims of terrorist acts abroad.

Charles Clarke: holding answer 24 October 2005
	Victims of terrorist incidents, and of other violent crime, within Great Britain are eligible for compensation under the Criminal Injuries Compensation Scheme. The scheme does not cover incidents abroad, though British victims of terrorism within the European Union are entitled to 'fair and appropriate' compensation from the member state in which they were injured. Some other countries also pay compensation to foreign nationals injured within their territory.
	I refer the hon. Member to the response given by my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister on 19 October 2005, Official Report, column 839WS that officials are considering the possibility of introducing a scheme to provide compensation for, for example, UK victims of terrorism, wherever that may happen. That consideration is ongoing.

Terrorism

Dawn Butler: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what mechanisms are in place to monitor the impact of the effects of the implementation of the Terrorism Acts (a) on the different ethnic groups and (b) on race relations.

Charles Clarke: Section 71 of the Race Relations Act 1976 (as amended) requires public authorities, including the police, to have due regard to the need to eliminate unlawful racial discrimination and to promote equality of opportunity and good relations between persons of different racial groups. These requirements apply to police operations to enforce the Terrorism Acts, as well as their other activities. Furthermore, the Secretary of State has made the police and many other public bodies subject to a further specific duty to produce a race equality scheme setting out how they intend to meet their general statutory duty. The Commission for Racial Equality is responsible for enforcing the Race Relations Act and has produced statutory guidance for public authorities on how to comply with the statutory duties.
	The Race Relations Act 1976 (as amended) also requires all Government polices that are relevant to race equality to be fully impact assessed for any potential adverse impact on racial groups. Accordingly, a Race Equality Impact Assessment was carried out on the Prevention of Terrorism Bill in February 2005. This assessment laid out the procedures for monitoring the impact of the legislation. The Terrorism Act 2000 and Anti-Terrorism, Crime and Security Act 2001 were introduced before this became a legal requirement.
	Both the Terrorism Act 2000 and the Prevention of Terrorism Act 2005 require the Secretary of State to lay reports before Parliament on the working of those Acts. The independent reviewer of both Acts, currently Lord Carlile of Berriew QC, is responsible for compiling these reports. His latest reports can be viewed on the Home Office website (www.homeoffice.gov.uk).
	The Home Affairs Select Committee oversees and monitors various issues including the impact of counter terrorism legislation on communities. The Committee has taken evidence from Ministers, Government officials, police and independent stakeholders. The Committee published a report on Terrorism and Community Relations in June this year.

Terrorism

Sadiq Khan: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many people have been (a) arrested, (b) charged and (c) convicted under the Anti-Terrorism Crime and Security Act 2001, broken down by (i) year, (ii) gender, (iii) ethnicity and (iv) religion.

Hazel Blears: There are no arrest powers under the Anti-Terrorism Crime and Security Act 2001. My hon. Friend could be referring to the Terrorism Act 2000. The latest arrest figures are published on the Home Office website.www.homeoffice.gov.uk/security/terrorism-and-the-law/terrorism-act/
	The statistics requested in parts (b) and (c) are only held by individual police forces and not by the Home Office.

Under-age Product Sales

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many businesses were prosecuted for selling (a) tobacco products and (b) lottery tickets and scratch cards to under 16s in Coventry, South in the last five years.

Hazel Blears: holding answer 14 November 2005
	Information taken from the Home Office Court Proceedings database shows that between 1999 and 2003, there were two prosecutions in 2001 and one prosecution in 2002 of businesses having been proceeded against at magistrates' courts in the West Midlands police force area for the sale of tobacco etc. to persons under 16. There are no records of any prosecutions under s13a National Lottery etc. Act 1993. However, the lottery operator is required to ensure sufficient controls are in place to prevent sales to under 16s. Examples include test purchasing programmes and retailer training and education. It will also remove the lottery terminal if a retailer is found to have made repeat sales to people under 16.
	It is not possible to identify those prosecutions in Coventry, South, as the data are not collected at this level of detail.
	Court statistics for 2004 will be available in late November.

Visa Waiver Programme

Colin Challen: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what time limits apply to information about minor convictions of UK citizens given to United States' authorities under their Visa Waiver programme.

Tony McNulty: The UK does not provide the US authorities with criminal conviction information for visa application or similar purposes. Under the Data Protection Act 1984 an individual is entitled to obtain his criminal record details. It is a matter for the individual whether to disclose the information in support of a visa application or similar purpose.
	Criminal conviction information is drawn from the Police National Computer (PNC). All offences that might attract a prison sentence on conviction are recorded centrally together with about 50 more minor, non-imprisonable offences. The time limits for retaining such information on the PNC are in accordance with the current ACPO weeding" rules.

Wildlife Crime

Gordon Prentice: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list the police forces in England which have designated wildlife crime units; and if he will make a statement.

Hazel Blears: The deployment of police officers and other staff in each force area is an operational matter for the Chief Officer concerned, based on operational priorities. Virtually every police force has a wildlife enforcement capability of some form, although this varies from force to force.

EDUCATION AND SKILLS

A Parent's Guide to Direct Payments"

Paul Holmes: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills for what reasons A Parent's Guide to Direct Payments", distributed by her Department, is no longer available in languages other than English; and if she will make it available in other languages.

Beverley Hughes: 'A Parents Guide to Direct Payments' was originally the responsibility of the Department of Health. It transferred to the Department for Education and Skills in June 2003 as part of the machinery of Government changes. Officials at DfES are arranging for the guide to be reprinted to reflect policy developments since the original version, and with the appropriate departmental changes. The reprinted guide will be available in the full range of languages from DfES Prolog 'reference 31213' by the end of January 2006.

Ability Grouping

Nick Gibb: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills pursuant to the answer of 8 November 2005, Official Report, column 444W, on ability grouping, if she will revise Ofsted inspection criteria to include monitoring of the proportion of classes that are banded by ability.

Jacqui Smith: This is a matter for Ofsted. HM chief inspector, David Bell, has written to the hon. Member and a copy of his letter has been placed in the Library.
	Letter from David Bell to Mr. Nick Gibb, dated 21 November 2005
	Parliarmentary Questions 29556/29557/29558: Setting and Banding by Ability
	Your recent parliamentary questions have been referred to me, as Her Majesty's Chief Inspector of Schools, for reply.
	In sum, you asked:
	the Secretary of State for Education and Skills if she will revise Ofsted inspection criteria to include monitoring of the proportion of classes that are banded by ability (PQ 29556)
	the Secretary of State of Education and Skills on what basis it was decided to remove the requirement for Ofsted inspectors to distinguish between setting and banding by ability in the information recorded about lessons (PQ 29557)
	the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what percentage of lessons was recorded as banded by ability in (a) Year 7, (b) Year 8, (c) Year 9, (d) Year 10 and (e) Year 11 in secondary schools inspected by Ofsted in each year between 1995 and 2004 (PQ 29558).
	In response to Parliamentary Question 29556, Ofsted introduced a new framework and guidance for inspections under section 5 of the Education Act 2005 from September 2005. Although these will be kept under review, there are no plans to change them in the immediate future. The observation of lessons is no longer conducted in the same way as under the previous inspection regime (under section 10 of the School Inspections Act) and in Ofsted's view it would not be appropriate to ask inspectors to collect information about the proportion of classes that are grouped by ability on every section 5 inspection.
	In response to Parliamentary Question 29557, changes were made in 2003/04 so that Ofsted had information about the level of ability of groups as well as whether pupils were grouped by ability for their lessons. The information about ability levels was not previously available. To avoid over-complexity, the distinction between banding and setting was removed. In making judgements, Ofsted felt that it was not important for inspectors to know whether pupils were grouped by ability or not, rather than knowing the precise arrangements through which this was achieved. In some schools the distinction between banding and setting is blurred.
	In response to Parliamentary Question 29558, the table (see Appendix 1) includes the information you required for the years 1996/97 to 2002/03. The data were not recorded in 1995/96 and from September 2003 inspectors were not required to distinguish between setting and banding in the information they recorded about lessons.
	A copy of this reply has been sent to Jacqui Smith and will be placed in the library of both Houses.

Ability Grouping

Nick Gibb: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills pursuant to the answer of 8 November 2005, Official Report, column 444W, on ability grouping, what percentage of lessons was recorded as banded by ability in (a) year 7, (b) year 8, (c) year 9, (d) year 10 and (e) year 11 in secondary schools inspected by Ofsted in each year between 1995 and 2004.

Jacqui Smith: This is a matter for Ofsted. HM chief inspector, David Bell, has written to the hon. Member and a copy of his letter has been placed in the Library.
	Letter from David Bell to Mr. Nick Gibb, dated 21 November 2005
	Parliarmentary Questions 29556/29557/29558: Setting and Banding by Ability
	Your recent parliamentary questions have been referred to me, as Her Majesty's Chief Inspector of Schools, for reply.
	In sum, you asked:
	the Secretary of State for Education and Skills if she will revise Ofsted inspection criteria to include monitoring of the proportion of classes that are banded by ability (PQ 29556)
	the Secretary of State of Education and Skills on what basis it was decided to remove the requirement for Ofsted inspectors to distinguish between setting and banding by ability in the information recorded about lessons (PQ 29557)
	the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what percentage of lessons was recorded as banded by ability in (a) Year 7, (b) Year 8, (c) Year 9, (d) Year 10 and (e) Year 11 in secondary schools inspected by Ofsted in each year between 1995 and 2004 (PQ 29558).
	In response to Parliamentary Question 29556, Ofsted introduced a new framework and guidance for inspections under section 5 of the Education Act 2005 from September 2005. Although these will be kept under review, there are no plans to change them in the immediate future. The observation of lessons is no longer conducted in the same way as under the previous inspection regime (under section 10 of the School Inspections Act) and in Ofsted's view it would not be appropriate to ask inspectors to collect information about the proportion of classes that are grouped by ability on every section 5 inspection.
	In response to Parliamentary Question 29557, changes were made in 2003/04 so that Ofsted had information about the level of ability of groups as well as whether pupils were grouped by ability for their lessons. The information about ability levels was not previously available. To avoid over-complexity, the distinction between banding and setting was removed. In making judgements, Ofsted felt that it was important for inspectors to know whether pupils were grouped by ability or not, rather than knowing the precise arrangements through which this was achieved. In some schools the distinction between banding and setting is blurred.
	In response to Parliamentary Question 29558, the table (see Appendix 1) includes the information you required for the years 1996/97 to 2002/03. The data were not recorded in 1995/96 and from September 2003 inspectors were not required to distinguish between setting and banding in the information they recorded about lessons.
	A copy of this reply has been sent to Jacqui Smith and will be placed in the library of both Houses.
	
		Appendix 1: Percentage of banded lessons, 1996 to 2003
		
			  1996/97 1997/98 1998/99 1999/2000 
			 Year group Total number of lessons observed Percentage of banded lessons Total number of lessons observed Percentage of banded lessons Total number of lessons observed Percentage of banded lessons Total number of lessons observed Percentage of banded lessons 
		
		
			 Year 7 27,542 6.4 16,414 8.3 22,361 5.3 17,544 4.9 
			 Year 8 27,431 8.1 16,341 9.6 21,792 6.3 16,769 6.1 
			 Year 9 27,161 7.5 16,692 9.2 23,489 6.6 18,810 6.6 
			 Year 10 24,651 3.9 17,047 5.2 24,481 4.0 18,536 3.3 
			 Year 11 38,008 3.6 17,686 4.9 24,543 3.9 18,490 3.3 
			  
			 Total year 7–11 144,793 5.8 84,180 7.4 116,666 5.2 90,149 4.8 
		
	
	
		
			  2000/01 2001/02 2002/03 
			 Year group Total number of lessons observed Percentage of banded lessons Total number of lessons observed Percentage of banded lessons Total number of lessons observed Percentage of banded lessons 
		
		
			 Year 7 14,011 4.9 12,532 4.6 11,257 4.5 
			 Year 8 13,416 6.1 11,552 5.1 10,255 5.5 
			 Year 9 16,117 6.5 14,388 5.5 13,152 5.9 
			 Year 10 14,802 3.7 13,212 2.7 12,073 3.1 
			 Year 11 15,108 3.2 13,812 2.5 12,982 2.8 
			
			 Total year 7–11 73,454 4.9 65,496 4.1 59,719 4.3 
		
	
	Notes:
	1. Framework changes occurred in January 2000 and September 2003. Changes in the way groupings in lessons were recorded may mean that data are not directly comparable from periods of one framework to another.
	2. From January 2000 to July 2003, the inspection arrangements included full and short inspections. The majority of lessons observed will have been in full inspections. The most effective schools had short inspections.

Academies

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills if she will list the independently managed academies that are operational, broken down by local education authority.

Jacqui Smith: There are currently 27 open academies in England. The following table lists them, together with the local authority area in which they are sited.
	
		
			 Academy Local authority area 
		
		
			 The Academy at Peckham Southwark 
			 The Academy of St. Francis of Assisi Liverpool 
			 The Business Academy, Bexley Bexley 
			 Capital City Academy Brent 
			 The City Academy, Bristol Bristol 
			 The City of London Academy Southwark 
			 Dixons City Academy Bradford 
			 Djanogly City Academy Nottingham Nottingham 
			 Greig City Academy Haringey 
			 Haberdashers' Aske's Hatcham College Academy Lewisham 
			 Haberdashers' Aske's Knights Academy Lewisham 
			 Harefield Academy Hillingdon 
			 The King's Academy Middlesbrough 
			 Lambeth Academy Lambeth 
			 London Academy Barnet 
			 Macmillan Academy Middlesbrough 
			 Manchester Academy Manchester 
			 The Marlowe Academy Kent 
			 Mossbourne Community Academy Hackney 
			 Northampton Academy Northamptonshire 
			 Salford City Academy Salford 
			 St. Paul's Academy Greenwich 
			 Stockley Academy Hillingdon 
			 Trinity Academy Doncaster 
			 Unity City Academy Middlesbrough 
			 The Walsall City Academy Walsall 
			 The West London Academy Ealing

Bridgewater Primary School

Brian Binley: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills pursuant to the answer of 7 November 2005, Official Report, column 108W, on Bridgewater primary school, Northamptonshire, in what circumstances departmental school design and funding guidelines provide funding for kitchen facilities; in what circumstances departmental guidelines judge kitchen facilities to be required by the school or local authority; and if her Department will provide funding for kitchen facilities at the Bridgewater primary school.

Jacqui Smith: The Departments area guidelines are applicable to any school but are particularly aimed at new school buildings. The Department bases its allocations for specific central programmes such as Building Schools for the Future on these guidelines and so these allocations will be sufficient to enable kitchen and dining facilities to be included.
	It is not a legal requirement for a school to have a kitchen. Schools and local authorities are expected to provide nutritious and freshly prepared meals. It is the Government's view that this would ideally be from an on-site kitchen, but it can be achieved off-site if the appropriate arrangements are in place.
	Over the current three years, 2003–04 to 2005–06, the Department is providing direct capital grants to Northamptonshire schools of some £32 million, also formulaic funding allocations of £49 million. In addition, during this period, there was an allocation to the local authority of £100 million in respect of a Private Finance Initiative, and nearly £5 million in respect of the Targeted Capital Fund programme. It is for the local authority, acting in co-operation with Bridgewater primary school and other schools, to prioritise expenditure in accordance with asset management plans. This includes whether to invest in kitchens or other assets.

Children's Trusts

Geraldine Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many children's trusts there are in England.

Beverley Hughes: Most local authorities, primary care trusts and their partners are in the process of establishing a children's trust in their local area and are on target to meet the Government's expectation that most areas will have a children's trust by 2006, and all by 2008. 35 pathfinders and many other local areas have already established their children's trust arrangements, and some 125 local authorities say that their directors of children's services have been or are being appointed.

Class Sizes

Brian Jenkins: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what the average class size was in (a) primary schools and (b) secondary schools in (i) England, (ii) Staffordshire and (iii) Tamworth.

Jacqui Smith: The information requested is shown in the following table.
	
		Maintained primary schools: average class size taught by one teacher(36). England, Staffordshire local authority and Tamworth parliamentary constituency.
		
			 Position as at January each year 
			  1997 2005 
			  Maintained primary(37) Maintained secondary(37) Maintained primary(37) Maintained secondary(37) 
		
		
			 England 27.5 21.7 26.2 21.7 
			 Staffordshire local authority(38) 27.5 22.3  — 
			 Staffordshire local authority (39) — - 26.0 21.5 
			 Tamworth parliamentary constituency 27.5 21.5 25.7 21.0 
		
	
	(36) Classes taught during a single selected period in each school on the day of the census in January.
	(37) Includes middle schools as deemed.
	(38) Before local government re-organisation.
	(39) After local government Re-organisation.
	Source:
	Annual Schools' Census

Class Sizes

Sarah Teather: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what the average class size is in (a) primary schools and (b) secondary schools in Brent.

Jacqui Smith: The information requested is shown in the following table.
	
		Maintained primary and secondary schools: average class size. Taught by one teacher(40).
		
			 January 2005 
			  Maintained primary(41) Maintained secondary(41) 
		
		
			 Brent local authority 27.3 20.7 
		
	
	(40) Classes taught during a single selected period in each school on the day of the census in January.
	(41) Includes middle schools as deemed.
	Source:
	Annual Schools' Census

Departmental Finance

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what the real terms percentage increase in allocated resources for her Department (a) was for the period 1997–98 to 2004–05 and (b) is estimated to be between 2005–06 and 2007–08 (i) for each period and (ii) for each year.

Jacqui Smith: The real terms percentage increase for the period 1997–98 to 2004–05 was 89.4 per cent. For the period 2005–06 to 2007–08 the increase is planned to be 8.5 per cent.
	The increases for the individual years over the previous year are shown in the following table.
	
		Expenditure on education, training and children 1997–98to 2007–08
		
			 £ million in 2005–06 prices(42) 
			  Number Percentage change 
		
		
			 Outturn   
			 1997–98 15,011 — 
			 1998–99 14,974 -0.2 
			 1999–2000 16,035 7.1 
			 2000–01 18,838 17.5 
			 2001–02 21,268 12.9 
			 2002–03 25,170 18.3 
			 2003–04 27,391 8.8 
			 2004–05(43) 28,431 3.8 
			
			 Plans   
			 2005–06(44) 30,546 7.4 
			 2006–07 31,822 4.2 
			 2007–08 33,129 4.1 
		
	
	(42) The Department previously had responsibility for employment policies. These have been removed from the above figures for comparison purposes.
	(43) Estimated outturn as supplied for the Public Expenditure Outturn White Paper.
	(44) Excludes take up of end year flexibility.

Education (West Lancashire)

Rosie Cooper: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many recorded incidents of physical assault by students on staff there were in each secondary school in West Lancashire in each of the past five years.

Jacqui Smith: The information requested is not available.

Education Act 1996

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills if she will make a statement on the operation of sections (a) 510 and (b) 511 of the Education Act 1996 in (i) Essex and (ii) Southend.

Jacqui Smith: The information you have requested is not collected by the Department for Education and Skills.

Education Funding

Patrick McFadden: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what the expenditure was per pupil in Wolverhampton in 1996–97; and what the equivalent figure was in 2004–05.

Jacqui Smith: The information requested is contained within the following table:
	
		Combined LEA and school-based expenditure1 per pupil2 in Wolverhampton LEA 1996–97 and 2004–053, 4
		
			  £ 
		
		
			 1996–97 2,740 
			 2004–05 4,210 
		
	
	(45) The combined LEA and school-based expenditure includes all expenditure on the education of children in LEA maintained establishments and pupils educated by the LEA other than in maintained establishments. This includes both school-based expenditure and all elements of central LA expenditure except youth and community and capital expenditure from revenue (CERA).
	(46) Pupil figures include all pre-primary pupils, including those under-fives funded by the LEA and being educated in private settings, pupils educated in maintained mainstream schools and other LEA maintained pupils. The pupil data for pupils attending maintained nursery, primary, secondary and special schools are taken from the DfES Annual Schools census. Private voluntary and independent (PVI) under-5 pupil numbers are taken from the Early Years census but are only available since 1999–2000. Other LEA maintained pupils includes all pupils attending schools not maintained by the authority for whom the authority is paying full tuition fees, or educated otherwise than in schools and pupil referral units under arrangements made by the authority drawn from the form 8b submitted to the DfES. Also included as other LEA maintained pupils are all pupils attending pupil referral units who are not registered at a maintained mainstream school drawn from the DfES Annual Schools census. All pupil numbers are adjusted to be on a financial year basis.
	(47) 1999–2000 saw a change in data source when the data collection moved from the RO1 form collected by the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister to the section 52 form from the DfES. 2002–03 saw a further break in the time series following the introduction of Consistent Financial Reporting to schools.
	(48) 2004–05 data is regarded as provisional and is subject to change by the LEA.
	Note:
	Figures are as reported by Wolverhampton LEA and are rounded to the nearest 10.

Education Maintenance Allowance

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what plans her Department has for increasing the education maintenance allowance.

Maria Eagle: There are currently no plans to increase the amount of education maintenance allowance payments.

Education Responsibilities (London)

Stephen O'Brien: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what the responsibilities in the field of Education and Skills are of (a) the Greater London Authority, (b) the Government Office for London and (c) the London Development Agency.

Jacqui Smith: The Greater London Authority (GLA) has no statutory role in the provision of education in London.
	The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister is currently reviewing the Mayor's powers and, in preparation for this, the Mayor submitted detailed proposals on subjects including skills to the Government on 20 July. Further details about this are available on the GLA website at: www.london.gov.uk/mayor/powers/index.jsp
	The Government Office for London (GOL) works with key stakeholders to support the effective delivery of the Government's education and skills objectives in particular through ensuring proper linkage with regeneration policies and programmes. These stakeholders include the Learning and Skills Councils, local authorities, the London Development Agency, the voluntary and community sector and employer representatives. GOL also contracts with and funds the Connexions Service for young people.
	GOL is working with partners to improve educational achievement and attainment and also carrying forward work with the London Skills Commission to improve the skills and employability of Londoners through the implementation of the Framework for Regional Employment and Skills Action. Currently, a key responsibility is to ensure that the Government's Every Child Matters agenda is implemented effectively so that outcomes for London children are improved.
	Further information about GOL's role in Education and Skills can be found at http://www.gos.gov.uk/gol/Education_skills/
	Along with the other Regional Development Agencies, the London Development Agency's (LDA) responsibility for education and skills in the region is laid out in the 1998 RDA act as:
	(1) to promote employment in it's area
	(2) to enhance the development of and application of skills relevant to employment in its area.
	To fulfill this role, the LDA acts to co-ordinate the activities of other education and labour market institutions to be in line with the regions economic development strategy—ensuring that the final outcomes of their interventions yield an increase in the employment rate.
	To do this the LDA supports and shapes investments being made by the Learning and Skills Councils, Higher Education, Jobcentre Plus, European Funding, the Government Office for London, the local authorities and that delivered through charitable foundations (e.g. lottery).
	The LDA are funding approximately £75 million of skills related activity this year, around £16 million over the next three years directly on joining up activity (the 'London Regional Skills Programme') and a planned further £40 million on supporting locally based skills initiatives ('Creating Opportunities Fund'). Much of the funds available for businesses and communities have attracted European additional money nearly doubling initial investment. The London Skills Commission 2005/06 action plan is designed to wrap round and shape the £5 billion (approximately) that is invested in adult skills, education post-14 and business support in London each year, making it more fit for business needs.

Free School Meals

Philip Hollobone: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills pursuant to the answer of 10 November 2005, Official Report, columns 728–9W, on free school meals, what steps she is taking to close the gap between those pupils eligible for free school meals and those taking free school meals (a) in Northamptonshire and (b) in England.

Jacqui Smith: The Department is aware that there is a gap between eligibility and take up of free school meals, and has funded research, commissioned by the Child Poverty Action Group, into the reasons children fail to take up their free school meal entitlement. The findings were published in a report entitled 'Improving the Take-Up of Free School Meals' in May 2001. The report showed that pupils and parents considered that the quality and choice of food on offer discouraged take up.
	In March 2005, the Secretary of State for Education and Skills announced a package of measures designed to improve significantly the quality of school meals, by, among other things introducing improved school meals standards and a 'toolkit' for parents to inform them how to work with their schools to improve school meal provision.
	Improving the quality of school meals may also improve the take-up of free school meals.

Free School Meals

Theresa May: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what the criteria are for determining access to free school meals; when the definition of eligibility was last changed; and what the basis was for the change.

Jacqui Smith: holding answer 21 November 2005
	Children whose parents are in receipt of income support; income-based jobseekers allowance, support under part VI of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999; child tax credit provided they are not entitled to working tax credit and have an annual income (as assessed by the Inland Revenue) that from 6 April 2005 does not exceed 13,910; or the guaranteed element of state pension credit are entitled to free school meals. Children who receive income support of income based jobseekers allowance in their own right are also entitled to free school meals.
	The definition of eligibility was last changed from 30 April 2005 whereby the guarantee element of state pension credit was introduced as an additional qualifying benefit for free school lunch eligibility purposes. This change was introduced to remove impracticality for LEA's and schools when checking free school meals entitlement for those parents in receipt of the guaranteed pension credit.

G3 Academy, Chelmsley Wood

Caroline Spelman: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills why her Department has opposed the installation of fire sprinklers in the new G3 Academy in Chelmsley Wood.

Jacqui Smith: The Department did not oppose the installation of fire sprinklers in Grace Academy, Chelmsley Wood.
	It is the Department's policy that each school plan, including that for Grace Academy, should be based on a fire risk assessment and where necessary incorporate the principles of fire engineering as an intrinsic part of its design. This is a statutory requirement of The Education (Independent School Standards) (England) Regulations, (2003) with which Academies, as independent schools, must comply.
	All schools, maintained or independent are designed in accordance with the highest industry specifications to meet the functional requirements of the Building Regulations on Fire Safety. Sprinkler systems are primarily incorporated for property protection whereas the Department's main concern is that
	the safe escape of the occupants in case of fire is reasonably assured".
	It is therefore felt that the use of automatic sprinkler systems is unnecessary. There is no requirement in The Building Regulations 2000 or the Education (Independent School Standards) (England) Regulations, (2003) for the installation of sprinklers to be included.
	The decision on whether or not to install a sprinkler system in Grace Academy rested upon the advice of the appointed independent fire consultant. The consultant's expert view was that a sprinkler system was not a requirement for life safety. Based on this advice Solihull metropolitan borough council's building control department accepted the project without a sprinkler system.

GCSE Results

Nick Gibb: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills 
	(1)  what proportion of 15-year-olds achieved five or more grades at A* to C at GCSE or equivalent which included GCSEs in English and mathematics in each year since 1995;
	(2)  what proportion of pupils achieved five or more GCSEs at grades A*to C or equivalent including English and mathematics, broken down by local education authority in (a) 1997 and (b) 2005;
	(3)  how many and what proportion of non-selective schools had more than 70 per cent. of pupils achieving (i) five GCSEs at grade A*to C or equivalent and (ii) five GCSEs at grade A*to C or equivalent including English and mathematics in each year since 1995.

Jacqui Smith: The information requested can be found in the following tables:
	
		Table 1: Percentage of 15 year old pupils(49) achieving 5 or moreA*-C at GCSE or equivalent(50) including English and mathematics
		
			 Academic year Percentage 
		
		
			 2004/05(52) 44.1 
			 2003/04 42.7 
			 2002/03(51) 41.9 
			 2001/02 42.1 
			 2000/01 40.7 
			 1999/2000 40.0 
			 1998/99 38.6 
			 1997/98 37.0 
			 1996/97 35.6 
		
	
	(49) Age at start of academic year i.e. 31 August.
	(50) Figures from 1996/97 to 2002/03 include GCSE/GNVQs only, figures from 2003/04 include other equivalent qualifications approved pre-16.
	(51) Figures decreased in 2002/03 because percentage of pupils achieving A*-C in Mathematics decreased.
	(52) Figures for 2004/05 are provisional, all other figures are final.
	
		Table 2: Percentage of 15-year-old pupils(53) achieving 5 or more A*-C at GCSE or equivalent(54) including English and mathematics by local authority
		
			 Local authority Percentage 
		
		
			 Academic year 1996/97 
			 Barking and Dagenham 22.0 
			 Barnet 42.2 
			 Barnsley 21.0 
			 Bath and North East Somerset 40.2 
			 Bedfordshire 33.9 
			 Berkshire 40.0 
			 Bexley 35.6 
			 Birmingham 25.0 
			 Bolton 30.3 
			 Bournemouth 40.5 
			 Bradford 20.8 
			 Brent 30.1 
			 Brighton and Hove 27.1 
			 Bromley 42.5 
			 Buckinghamshire 50.4 
			 Bury 37.3 
			 Calderdale 29.4 
			 Cambridgeshire 34.9 
			 Camden 35.1 
			 Cheshire 37.5 
			 City of Bristol 22.6 
			 City of Derby 26.7 
			 City of Kingston-upon-Hull 14.8 
			 Cornwall 36.0 
			 Coventry 27.1 
			 Croydon 28.4 
			 Cumbria 33.4 
			 Darlington 28.1 
			 Derbyshire 33.6 
			 Devon 33.8 
			 Doncaster 24.8 
			 Dorset 36.6 
			 Dudley 31.4 
			 Durham 27.4 
			 Ealing 28.2 
			 East Riding of Yorkshire 34.2 
			 East Sussex 33.3 
			 Enfield 31.4 
			 Essex 35.0 
			 Gateshead 31.5 
			 Gloucestershire 41.6 
			 Greenwich 19.9 
			 Hackney 17.3 
			 Hammersmith and Fulham 32.5 
			 Hampshire 37.6 
			 Haringey 17.9 
			 Harrow 40.0 
			 Hartlepool 19.6 
			 Havering 37.9 
			 Hereford and Worcester 34.8 
			 Hertfordshire 41.5 
			 Hillingdon 30.1 
			 Hounslow 31.3 
			 Isle of Wight 32.0 
			 Isles of Scilly 27.8 
			 Islington 16.5 
			 Kensington and Chelsea 28.0 
			 Kent 37.5 
			 Kingston upon Thames 44.7 
			 Kirklees 30.5 
			 Knowsley 14.6 
			 Lambeth 18.6 
			 Lancashire 34.6 
			 Leeds 28.5 
			 Leicester City 24.8 
			 Leicestershire 34.8 
			 Lewisham 19.4 
			 Lincolnshire 39.3 
			 Liverpool 23.8 
			 Luton 23.3 
			 Manchester 19.1 
			 Merton 30.1 
			 Middlesbrough 21.0 
			 Milton Keynes 21.9 
			 Newcastle upon Tyne 24.9 
			 Newham 23.2 
			 Norfolk 34.0 
			 North East Lincolnshire 22.8 
			 North Lincolnshire 30.2 
			 North Somerset 38.3 
			 North Tyneside 31.0 
			 North Yorkshire 42.7 
			 Northamptonshire 31.3 
			 Northumberland 34.2 
			 Nottinghamshire 28.0 
			 Oldham 27.4 
			 Oxfordshire 36.7 
			 Poole 40.8 
			 Portsmouth 18.5 
			 Redbridge 39.3 
			 Redcar and Cleveland 30.0 
			 Richmond upon Thames 36.5 
			 Rochdale 25.3 
			 Rotherham 27.8 
			 Rutland 40.7 
			 Salford 22.1 
			 Sandwell 17.7 
			 Sefton 35.6 
			 Sheffield 29.3 
			 Shropshire 37.0 
			 Solihull 38.6 
			 Somerset 37.6 
			 South Gloucestershire 33.3 
			 South Tyneside 27.3 
			 Southampton 29.4 
			 Southwark 17.1 
			 St. Helens 30.0 
			 Staffordshire 34.5 
			 Stockport 40.8 
			 Stockton on Tees 28.9 
			 Stoke-on-Trent 22.5 
			 Suffolk 33.5 
			 Sunderland 26.1 
			 Surrey 40.0 
			 Sutton 47.3 
			 Swindon 34.9 
			 Tameside 28.5 
			 Tower Hamlets 15.0 
			 Trafford 44.3 
			 Wakefield 28.2 
			 Walsall 25.4 
			 Waltham Forest 25.0 
			 Wandsworth 23.2 
			 Warwickshire 34.9 
			 West Sussex 38.3 
			 Westminster 22.5 
			 Wigan 34.6 
			 Wiltshire 39.0 
			 Wirral 35.3 
			 Wolverhampton 23.3 
			 York 41.0 
			   
			 Academic year 2004/053 
			 Barking and Dagenham 36.7 
			 Barnet 57.2 
			 Barnsley 35.4 
			 Bath and North East Somerset 54.1 
			 Bedfordshire 46.0 
			 Bexley 47.3 
			 Birmingham 42.3 
			 Blackburn with Darwen 41.0 
			 Blackpool 34.9 
			 Bolton 41.7 
			 Bournemouth 46.9 
			 Bracknell Forest 44.0 
			 Bradford 35.7 
			 Brent 47.3 
			 Brighton and Hove 43.5 
			 Bristol 31.6 
			 Bromley 52.8 
			 Buckinghamshire 63.0 
			 Bury 53.8 
			 Calderdale 45.8 
			 Cambridgeshire 53.9 
			 Camden 43.5 
			 Cheshire 53.9 
			 City of Peterborough 42.3 
			 City of Plymouth 43.8 
			 Cornwall 49.7 
			 Coventry 41.1 
			 Croydon 45.9 
			 Cumbria 49.9 
			 Darlington 45.3 
			 Derby 42.4 
			 Derbyshire 47.6 
			 Devon 49.3 
			 Doncaster 38.0 
			 Dorset 52.8 
			 Dudley 43.4 
			 Durham 43.2 
			 Ealing 48.8 
			 East Riding of Yorkshire 52.4 
			 East Sussex 45.3 
			 Enfield 45.5 
			 Essex 47.2 
			 Gateshead 43.9 
			 Gloucestershire 57.2 
			 Greenwich 37.4 
			 Hackney 40.4 
			 Halton 37.0 
			 Hammersmith and Fulham 52.4 
			 Hampshire 53.1 
			 Haringey 35.9 
			 Harrow 56.5 
			 Hartlepool 39.4 
			 Havering 53.6 
			 Herefordshire 50.9 
			 Hertfordshire 55.3 
			 Hillingdon 41.4 
			 Hounslow 51.1 
			 Isle of Wight 34.1 
			 Isles of Scilly 90.9 
			 Islington 32.5 
			 Kensington and Chelsea 44.0 
			 Kent 50.2 
			 Kingston upon Thames 65.4 
			 Kingston-upon-Hull 30.2 
			 Kirklees 42.0 
			 Knowsley 30.0 
			 Lambeth 37.4 
			 Lancashire 48.7 
			 Leeds 41.8 
			 Leicester City 35.7 
			 Leicestershire 51.0 
			 Lewisham 41.2 
			 Lincolnshire 49.9 
			 Liverpool 34.9 
			 Luton 38.1 
			 Manchester 30.7 
			 Medway 43.8 
			 Merton 40.2 
			 Middlesbrough 31.4 
			 Milton Keynes 44.5 
			 Newcastle upon Tyne 36.0 
			 Newham 46.6 
			 Norfolk 46.9 
			 North East Lincolnshire 34.0 
			 North Lincolnshire 41.4 
			 North Somerset 50.8 
			 North Tyneside 44.8 
			 North Yorkshire 56.7 
			 Northamptonshire 45.0 
			 Northumberland 51.0 
			 Nottingham City 27.9 
			 Nottinghamshire 40.8 
			 Oldham 40.1 
			 Oxfordshire 49.2 
			 Poole 57.6 
			 Portsmouth 28.4 
			 Reading 41.4 
			 Redbridge 59.7 
			 Redcar and Cleveland 40.4 
			 Richmond upon Thames 50.9 
			 Rochdale 39.3 
			 Rotherham 41.9 
			 Rutland 56.5 
			 Salford 37.9 
			 Sandwell 30.2 
			 Sefton 44.2 
			 Sheffield 42.1 
			 Shropshire 55.9 
			 Slough 53.1 
			 Solihull 52.9 
			 Somerset 49.8 
			 South Gloucestershire 48.6 
			 South Tyneside 36.1 
			 Southampton 39.2 
			 Southend 50.2 
			 Southwark 31.8 
			 St. Helens 42.3 
			 Staffordshire 47.0 
			 Stockport 47.9 
			 Stockton on Tees 40.6 
			 Stoke on Trent 35.3 
			 Suffolk 49.1 
			 Sunderland 38.6 
			 Surrey 54.2 
			 Sutton 63.2 
			 Swindon 42.0 
			 Tameside 40.1 
			 Telford and the Wrekin 40.8 
			 Thurrock 38.8 
			 Torbay 48.8 
			 Tower Hamlets 31.8 
			 Trafford 62.2 
			 Wakefield 45.2 
			 Walsall 38.3 
			 Waltham Forest 41.0 
			 Wandsworth 44.9 
			 Warrington 51.1 
			 Warwickshire 49.4 
			 West Berkshire 51.3 
			 West Sussex 49.0 
			 Westminster 47.5 
			 Wigan 43.0 
			 Wiltshire 52.8 
			 Windsor and Maidenhead 53.4 
			 Wirral 49.6 
			 Wokingham 59.1 
			 Wolverhampton 37.1 
			 Worcestershire 47.9 
			 York 49.9 
		
	
	(53) Age at start of academic year i.e. 31st August.
	(54) Figures from 1996/97 include GCSE/GNVQs, figures from 2003/04 include other equivalent qualifications approved pre-16.
	(55) 2004/05 figures are provisional, 1996/97 figures are final.
	(56) Due to reorganisation, LA names and boundaries are not comparable for 1996/97 and 2004/05.
	
		Table 3: Number and percentage of non-selective schools(57) with 70 per cent. or more of 15-year-old pupils(58) achieving (i) five or more GCSEs at grade A* to C or equivalent(59) and (ii) five or more GCSEs at grade A* to C or equivalent(59) including English and mathematics in each year since 1995
		
			  Numbers Numbers 
			  5+ A*-C 5+ A*-C inc. E&M 5+ A*-C 5+ A*-C inc. E&M Number of schools(57) 
		
		
			 2003/04 413 413 14.0 3.7 2,946 
			 2002/03 367 367 12.5 2.7 2,931 
			 2001/02 298 298 10.2 2.3 2,935 
			 2000/01 239 239 8.1 1.8 2,938 
			 1999/2000 208 208 7.0 1.6 2,954 
			 1998/99 180 180 6.1 1.5 2,964 
			 1997/98 115 115 3.8 0.8 2,999 
			 1996/97 79 79 2.6 0.8 3,000 
			 1995/96 73 73 2.4 0.7 3,001 
			 1996/95 52 52 1.7 0.5 3,003 
		
	
	(57) Includes maintained, mainstream schools with no selection policy upon entry.
	(58) Age at start of academic year i.e. 31 August.
	(59) Figures from 1996/97 include GCSE/GNVQs, figures from 2003/04 include other equivalent qualifications approved pre-16.
	(60) The number and proportion of schools are not provided for 2004/05 as this data are currently being checked by schools as part of the Achievement and Attainment tables checking exercise. Revised figures, which take account of any amendments made by the schools during this exercise will be published in January 2006.

ITT Students

Stephen O'Brien: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many initial teacher training (ITT) students graduated in each of the last five years; how many newly qualified teacher (NQT) placement opportunities were available in each year; and how many ITT students failed to obtain NQT placements beginning in the September after achieving a post-graduate certificate in education (a) in England and (b) in each region.

Jacqui Smith: The following numbers of trainees gained qualified teacher status in each of the last five years:
	
		
			  Number 
		
		
			 1999/2000 21,693 
			 2000/01 22,642 
			 2001/02 25,489 
			 2002/03 29,094 
			 2003/04 31,810 
		
	
	The figures in the table include trainees on both undergraduate and postgraduate courses. The figures for 1999/2000 and 2000/01 do not include employment based routes. Employment based routes data are available from 2001/02 to 2003/04 only.
	There is no formal concept of 'NQT placements'. Data are not held on the number of NQTs who fail to find employment each September, but only on those who are actively seeking employment six months after gaining Qualified Teacher Status (QTS).
	England
	In March 2005, 848 postgraduate initial teacher training trainees were seeking a teaching post six months after gaining QTS.
	The most recent figures on vacancies show that in January 2005 there were 1,923 classroom teacher vacancies nationally.
	By region
	By region, the following numbers of newly qualified teachers from postgraduate initial teacher training courses responded to the survey that they were seeking employment as a teacher. The last figure in each row shows the number of vacancies for classroom teachers in nursery, primary and secondary schools (excluding special schools and pupil referral units) in each region as at January 2005.
	
		Postgraduate trainees seeking employment six months after QTS award
		
			 QTS awarded in academic year: 1999/2000 2000/01 2001/02 2002/03 2003/04  
			 Still seeking employment: March 2001 March 2002 March 2003 March 2004 March 2005 Vacancies January 2005 
		
		
			 North East 22 41 20 89 63 71 
			 North West 50 51 54 78 108 198 
			 Yorkshire and the Humber 17 35 51 101 92 172 
			 East Midlands 13 18 9 19 43 91 
			 West Midlands 40 30 30 92 136 236 
			 Eastern 38 11 31 48 25 228 
			 London 27 51 52 42 125 554 
			 South East 16 26 30 181 63 296 
			 South West 41 77 97 128 172 77 
			 Non-regional 39 1 5 3 21 — 
			 England 303 341 379 781 848 1,923 
			
			 Total postgraduate trainees awarded QTS 14,846 16,153 19,074 22,691 25,755  
		
	
	The figures in the table for 1999/2000 and 2000/01 do not include employment based routes. Employment based routes data are available from 2001/02 to 2003/04 only.

Head Teachers

Edward Davey: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many (a) primary schools and (b) secondary schools in England were without a permanent head teacher for a period in the past 12 months broken down by (i) region and (ii) local education authority.

Jacqui Smith: The information is not available in the form requested.

Learning and Skills Councils

Stephen O'Brien: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills whether the Learning and Skills Council (LSC) local partnership teams will (a) employ additional staff and (b) use existing LSC staff.

Bill Rammell: The LSC's local partnership teams will provide a national network of skilled and experienced education and training professionals who will work with key partners to tackle local learning and skills needs. The Teams will support the Government's 14–19 agenda, as well as taking forward work on personal and community development, and ensuring that national and regional priorities are delivered in a way that best meets local needs.
	The LSC has stated that it will employ existing staff as far as possible in the local partnership teams.
	Where the LSC feels it does not have sufficient numbers of staff in a particular area with the necessary skills and expertise for a local partnership team, then it may employ additional staff from further education, local authorities and the private sector, if appropriate.

Learning and Skills Councils

Stephen O'Brien: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what proportion of the £40 million her Department is making available for part-time students will be administered (a) through the Learning and Skills Council and (b) to students pursuing tertiary education through colleges of further education.

Bill Rammell: The Department for Education and Skills and the Higher Education Funding Council for England are both making an extra £20 million available in each of 2006–07 and 2007–08 which the Higher Education Funding Council for England will distribute between providers of higher education through a formula which takes account of part-time widening participation students. Colleges which provide higher as well as further education will receive their fair share of the total and stand to benefit from this formula. The detailed allocations to individual institutions will be announced in March 2006.

Learning and Skills Councils

Andrew Selous: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how much each Learning and Skills Council in the Eastern Region spent on entertaining (a) in 2005 to date and (b) in 2004.

Bill Rammell: I have overall responsibility for the LSC, however the operations of the LSC are managed and overseen by Mark Haysom, the LSC's chief executive and as entertainment costs of local councils are a matter for the LSC. Mark Haysom has written to the hon. Gentleman with further information. A copy of his reply has been placed in the House Libraries.
	Letter from Mark Haysom to Andrew Selous, dated 11 November 2005
	You recently asked the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, how much each LSC in the Eastern Region spent on entertaining a) in 2005 to date and; b) in 2004.
	I can confirm the following information in response to your request.
	
		
			 Location 2004–05 2005–06 to date 
		
		
			 Beds 227.74 — 
			 Cambs 73.00 91.00 
			 Essex 1,579.87 575.50 
			 Herts 1,658.15 243.35 
			 Norfolk 750.00 626.00 
			 Suffolk 26.60 137.40 
			 Total 4,315.36 1,673.25

Modern Languages

Ashok Kumar: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what steps are being taken to increase the number of modern foreign languages available to pupils in state secondary schools.

Jacqui Smith: We have expanded the list of qualifications that count towards performance table scores to include more language qualifications. In addition to the European Union working languages, there are approved qualifications available in Arabic, Bengali, Chinese, Gujarati, Irish, Japanese, Modern Hebrew, Punjabi, Persian, Russian, Turkish and Urdu.
	We are also funding a range of projects and materials to promote languages and to develop innovative curricular models which will be show-cased to provide schools with delivery ideas and support.
	Last September we launched the Languages Ladder—the national, voluntary recognition scheme for languages—which is an additional route for endorsing achievement in language skills at all levels of competence in a wide range of languages. It allows learners to progress in one or more of the four skills in one or more languages. In the first year, the scheme offers assessment opportunities in Chinese, French, German, Italian, Japanese, Punjabi, Spanish and Urdu. Additional languages will be available from autumn 2006 and are likely to include Arabic, Bengali, Irish, Gujarati, Hindi, Modern Greek, Polish, Portuguese, Russian, Somali, Swedish, Tamil, Turkish, Welsh and Yoruba. The external assessment which learners can choose to take at the end of each stage of the scheme leads to an accredited qualification—Asset Languages offered by Cambridge Assessment—and attracts assessment and attainment points which contribute to a school's performance table.

Primary Education

Jon Trickett: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills if she will estimate the cost of reducing the teacher-pupil ratio in primary schools to (a) 1:28, (b) 1:25 and (c) 1:20.

Jacqui Smith: The teacher-pupil ratio is 1:22.5 in primary schools based on provisional 2005 data. We estimate that the increased cost in terms of teachers pay to reduce this ratio to 1:20 would be approximately £780 million per year. This excludes training, leadership and structural costs.

Prison Population

Stephen O'Brien: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many (a) teachers and lecturers and (b) learners amongst the prison population there were in each month in the academic year 2004/05.

Phil Hope: This information is not collated centrally by the Prison Service, and could be collected only at disproportionate cost.
	New arrangements for the delivery of learning and skills, planned and funded by the Learning and Skills Council, were introduced in three development regions from 1 August 2005. Information on the number of learners for the first three months of the current academic year will be available for these regions later this month and I shall arrange to write to the hon. Member with the data when they are to hand.

Publicly Funded Courses (Drop-out Rate)

Stephen O'Brien: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what percentage of learners who have enrolled on publicly funded courses since 1992 have failed to complete those courses, broken down by age bands of 10 years.

Phil Hope: Non-completion rates are not available on a consistent basis for all publicly-funded courses combined. Separate rates are available for; further education colleges and external institutions from 1998/99, work based learning providers from 2001/02 and HE institutions from 1996/97. The rates for each category of provision are NOT comparable with the rates for the other categories of provision because they are produced using different data collection systems and different methodologies. Within the three categories of provision the rates for each year are produced on a consistent basis.
	Due to the compulsory nature of pre-16 school education retention data for the schools sector are not currently collected centrally by government. Work is under way to develop a means of obtaining retention data for schools with sixth-forms.
	Non-completion rates for the three categories of provision are given on subsequent pages.
	Non-completion rates for Further Education Colleges
	Non-completion rates for the age groups 16 to 18 and 19+ are readily available from LSC benchmarking data and are shown in the following table. The resource required to break down non-completion rates into age bands of 10 years would exceed the disproportionate cost threshold for answering Parliamentary Questions.
	
		
			  Percentage 
			  Age band 
			 Year course due to finish 16–18 19+ 
		
		
			 1998/99 25 19 
			 1999/2000 25 20 
			 2000/01 24 19 
			 2001/02 19 17 
			 2002/03 18 17 
			 2003/04 17 15 
		
	
	Source:
	DfES analysis of LSC Benchmarking data. Further details of the benchmarking data can be found on the LSC website at: http://www.Isc.gov.uk/National/Partners/Data/Statistics/LearnerStatistics/LearningAimOutcomes/FESuccessRates/Default.htm
	Non-completion rates for Work Based Learning Providers
	Up to and including 2003/04 you could only start a Work Based Learning program if aged below 25 years of age. It is therefore not appropriate to break down non-completion rates into age bands of 10 years. Non-completion rates for all WBL learners are given in the following table.
	
		
			 Year of leaving Non-completion rate (all frameworks or NVQs) (%) 
		
		
			 2001/02 64 
			 2002/03 59 
			 2003/04 54 
		
	
	Source:
	LSC Individualised Learner Record. Further details can be found on the LSC website at: http://www.Isc.gov.uk/National/Partners/Data/Statistics/LearnerStatistics/LearningAimOutcomes/WBLSuccessRates/Default
	Non-completion rates for HE institutions
	Since 1996/97, information on non-completion rates for higher education students has been published annually by the Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA) in Performance Indicators in Higher Education". The table gives the percentage of UK domiciled full-time first degree students expected neither to obtain an award nor transfer. The published figures cover students of all ages and are not calculated separately by age group. The figures for 2003/04 will be available in July 2006.
	
		
			 Students starting courses in: Non-completion rate (%) 
		
		
			 1996/97 16.0 
			 1997/98 16.0 
			 1998/99 16.0 
			 1999/2000 15.0 
			 2000/01 15.0 
			 2001/02 14.1 
			 2002/03 14.4 
		
	
	Source:
	Performance Indicators in Higher Education, published by HESA. Further details can be found on the HESA website by looking at the background to table T5 at: http://www.hesa.ac.uk/pi/0304/continuation.htm

Schools

Gordon Prentice: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills whether it is her policy to allow schools to select children for admission by interviewing their parents; and if she will make a statement.

Jacqui Smith: The statutory School Admissions Code of Practice makes it quite clear that we regard it as poor practice for schools to interview parents or children as any part of the admission process. The only exception to this is boarding schools, where we consider it reasonable to interview to assess a child's suitability to be a boarder.

Schools

Helen Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills pursuant to her answer of 2 November 2005, Official Report, columns 1198–99W, on schools, what steps a local authority will have to take before deciding if a request from parents to set up a new school has support; and whether an individual parent will have the right of appeal to the schools adjudicator if such a proposal is rejected.

Jacqui Smith: Local authorities will be subject to new duties to promote choice and diversity in their areas and to respond to parental demand for new schools. In carrying out these duties, local authorities will need to consider representations from parents on their merits, taking account of the number of parents expressing a demand for a new school, and the extent to which a new school might add to the quality and diversity of provision. We intend to issue guidance to local authorities on the duties once the legislation is in place. The Schools Commissioner will monitor the effectiveness of local authorities in carrying out their duties.
	People wishing to establish new schools—either with the support of the local authority or otherwise—will, as now, have to consult on and publish formal statutory proposals. In future it will be for the local authority to decide such proposals, taking account of the views of stakeholders. If the local authority reject the proposals, the promoters—the people or organisation who originally published the proposals—will be able to appeal to the schools adjudicator.

Schools

Nick Gibb: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what definition she uses for (a) a trust school, (b) a foundation school and (c) a voluntary aided school under the changes proposed in the White Paper Higher Standards, Better Schools For All".

Jacqui Smith: The characteristics of trust schools are described in the White Paper. In the terms of the existing legislation governing categories of schools—the School Standards and Framework Act 1998—a trust school will be a foundation school with a foundation. At present the foundation of such a school may only appoint a minority of the governing body: we intend to provide for foundations (trusts) to appoint a majority of the governing bodies of trust schools. A foundation school, as described in the White Paper, is a foundation school without a foundation. We are planning no changes to the existing characteristics of foundation and voluntary aided schools.

Schools

Michael Penning: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how much funding was allocated by her Department to Hemel Hempstead constituency for (a) capital projects and (b) revenue funding in each of the last eight years.

Jacqui Smith: The Department does not hold information on funding at constituency level. However we do hold information centrally on funding allocated for education and children's services to Hertfordshire county council in which Hemel Hempstead constituency is situated. The information on capital and revenue funding is provided as follows. The figures exclude payments made by the Department's NDPBs which could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
	
		Table 1: revenue and capital funding for Hertfordshire county council
		
			 £ million 
			  Revenue Capital Total 
		
		
			 1997–98 430 12 442 
			 1998–99 463 15 478 
			 1999–2000 494 15 510 
			 2000–01 544 37 580 
			 2001–02 591 27 618 
			 2002–03 640 48 687 
			 2003–04 713 43 756 
			 2004–05 765 61 826 
		
	
	Notes:
	1. All figures are in cash not real terms.
	2. Includes money paid out for education and for children's social services. Responsibility for children's social services transferred from DH to DfES in 2003–04 as part of Machinery of Government changes.
	3. Includes school funding and children's social services funding paid through ODPM as well as grants paid directly to Hertfordshire by the Department.
	4. Total funding also includes all revenue grants in DfES Departmental Expenditure Limits relevant to pupils aged 3 to 19 but exclude Education Maintenance Allowances (EMAs) and grants not allocated at LEA level.
	5. Where responsibility for funding has transferred from an LEA, related funding no longer appears in the series.

Schools

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many grammar schools have closed in England since 1997.

Jacqui Smith: There have been no grammar school closures since 1997.

Schools

Anne Milton: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills 
	(1)  what her Department's target is for the number of specialist schools in (a) Surrey and (b) England;
	(2)  how many schools in (a) Surrey and (b) England have (i) applied for and (ii) been granted specialist status for each of the 10 specialisms;
	(3)  how many specialist schools in Surrey participate in the Leading Edge Partnership scheme.

Jacqui Smith: Local authorities are not required to set targets for the number of specialist schools however 79 per cent. of schools in Surrey have already achieved specialist status (greater than the national average of 75 per cent.) with more planned. Our national target is that 95 per cent. of maintained secondary schools will be specialist or Academies by 2008.
	To date over 2,600 schools in England have applied for specialist status including 42 in Surrey.
	The following is the breakdown by specialism of schools which have been granted specialist school status:
	(a) In Surrey there are 41 specialist schools:
	Arts (4), Business and Enterprise (4), Language (3), Maths and Computing (5), Music (2), Science (4), Sports (4), and Technology (15).
	(b) In England there are 2,380 specialist schools:
	Arts (385), Business and Enterprise (201), Engineering (41), Humanities (60), Language (213), Maths and Computing (206), Music (15), Science (269), Sports (334), Technology (574), Combined (70) and SEN specialism (12).
	There are two Leading Edge Partnerships in Surrey. Seven schools participate in the partnerships and six of these are specialist.

Science Teachers

Stephen Hammond: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many teachers of science there are in secondary schools in England; and how many there were in 1995.

Jacqui Smith: The following table shows the number of full-time teachers teaching sciences 1 in maintained secondary schools in England as at November 1996 and 2002. The figures are estimates based upon sample surveys carried out most recently in 1996 and 2002 only. A number of teachers may be in regular service teaching more than one science. The table shows each teacher once against each subject that they are teaching.
	1 Teachers qualified in combined/general science are treated as qualified to teach biology, chemistry or physics. Teachers qualified in biology, chemistry or physics are treated as qualified to teach combined/general science.
	
		
			  1996 2002 
		
		
			 Combined/general science 27,300 28,300 
			 Biology 5,100 5,600 
			 Chemistry 4,600 5,200 
			 Physics 4,400 4,700 
			 Other sciences(61) 1,600 1,600 
		
	
	(61) Other sciences includes subjects such as geology, environmental science and agricultural science.
	Note:
	Totals may not appear equal to the sum of their parts because of rounding.
	Source:
	Secondary Schools Curriculum and Staffing Survey

Sex Education

Ashok Kumar: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills whether she plans to extend the number of hours devoted to sex education in schools.

Jacqui Smith: It is for schools to decide how much teaching time is necessary to meet the requirements for sex education outlined in statutory National Curriculum Science and in the non-statutory framework for Personal Social and Health Education.

Skills for Life Qualifications

Stephen O'Brien: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what grading levels will be used for Skills for Life qualifications.

Bill Rammell: Skills for Life qualifications in Literacy, Numeracy and ESOL have been in place since 2001. They are available at Entry Levels 1, 2 and 3 and at Levels 1 and 2. Awards can be made at each level, for each subject. They are all awarded on a simple pass or fail basis.
	Literacy and Numeracy Entry Levels 1 to 3 are assessed through coursework and at Levels 1 and 2 through external national tests which can be accessed on a 'when ready' basis and through e-assessment as well as on paper. Candidates can be given feedback on their performance to support their further learning.

Special Educational Needs

Andrew Pelling: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what proportion of the Special Educational Needs and Disability Rights Act 2001 funding stream from the Government Office for London was made available to the London borough of Croydon in 2004–05.

Jacqui Smith: London borough of Croydon received £36,244.00 in 2004–05 to help the local authority youth service meet their duties under the Special Educational Needs and Disability Act 2001. Croydon's proportion of the London regional allocation (£736,828.00) was 4.9 per cent.

Standards Fund

David Lidington: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how much was paid by her Department to (a) Buckinghamshire local education authority and (b) Milton Keynes local education authority under the ethnic minority achievement element of the Standards Fund in each year since 2003–04; how much is planned to be paid in each case in each year until 2007–08; and what the percentage change in (i) cash and (ii) real terms is between the amount paid in 2003–04 and the amount planned to be paid for 2007–08.

Jacqui Smith: Changes to the distribution of the Ethnic Minority Achievement (EMAG) element of the Standards Fund were introduced in 2004–05 to bring a better targeted, fairer and more sensible distribution to this grant. These changes were widely endorsed by the DfES Aiming High: Raising the Achievement of Minority Ethnic Pupils" consultation of 2003.
	Total EMAG funding will increase by £10 million between 2005–06 and 2007–08.
	The redistribution of funding will lead to a small number of local authorities receiving less funding than they did under the previous system. However, losses in any one year will be limited to 0.05 per cent. of each authority's overall school funding.
	The allocations for Buckinghamshire and Milton Keynes for the years 2003–04
	to 2007–08 and the cash, as well as real terms changes, are detailed as follows:
	
		£
		
			 Programme year Buckinghamshire Milton Keynes 
		
		
			 2003–04 797,446 233,834 
			 2004–05 797,446 233,834 
			 2005–06 673,398 234,098 
			 2006–07(62) 549,350 241,545 
			 2007–08(62) 425,302 260,251 
		
	
	(62) Provisional DfES contribution.
	In 2003–04 to 2005–06 the DfES contribution was matched funded by local authorities at 50 per cent. grant rate.
	
		
			  Buckinghamshire Milton Keynes 
		
		
			 2003–04 (£) 797,446 233,834 
			 2007–08 (Provisional) (£) 425,302 260,251 
			 Actual difference (£) -412,231 +1,887 
			 Percentage difference real terms -51.7 +0.8

Under-achievement

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what percentage of children from low socio-economic backgrounds have achieved five A-C grade GCSEs in each of the last five years; and how this compares with national results.

Jacqui Smith: The Department does not collect details of the socio-economic group of pupils. However, one commonly used measure of low socio-economic status is eligibility for free school meals (FSM).
	Figures are given in the following table.
	
		Percentage of 15-year-old pupils(63) achieving five or more A*-C grades at GCSE and equivalent(64) by eligibility for free school meals (FSM)(65) in 2002, 2003 and 2004
		
			  2002 2003 2004 
			  Pupils Percentage Pupils Percentage Pupils Percentage 
		
		
			 Non FSM 477,798 53.7 493,336 55.2 508,060 56.1 
			 FSM 80,626 23.0 81,278 24.4 82,738 26.1 
			 Unclassified 2,967 — 1,470 — 976 — 
			 All pupils 561,391 49.0 576,084 50.7 591,774 51.9 
		
	
	(63) Pupils aged 15 at the beginning of the academic year (i.e. 31 August).
	(64) Figures for 2002 and 2003 include GCSEs and GNVQs only. Figures for 2004 include GCSEs and other approved qualifications.
	(65) Attainment figures by pupil characteristics have been derived from the Annual School Census (ASC) since 2002.
	Note:
	These figures are for maintained schools only and are not directly comparable with the national attainment figures that underpin the Department's PSA targets.

Undergraduate Student Grants

Edward Davey: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how much money was spent on grants for (a) full-time undergraduate students and (b) part-time undergraduate students in (i) 2005–06, (ii) 2006–07 and (iii) 2007–08.

Bill Rammell: Our expenditure plans for grants to undergraduate students in higher education over this period are:
	
		£000
		
			  FY 2005–06 FY 2006–07 FY 2007–08 
		
		
			 Full-time mandatory grants 722,500 816,000 919,000 
			 
			 Part-time mandatory grants 63,500 63,000 63,000 
			 Access to Learning Fund(66):
			 Full-time 55,000 46,000 37,000 
			 Part-time 3,000 12,000 12,000 
			 
			 Total 844,000 937,000 1,031,000 
		
	
	(66) Can be paid as grants or loans at the discretion of the institution.
	Note:
	The figures are inclusive of the funds that will transfer to Wales from September 2006 when HE student support devolves to the Welsh Assembly Government; the Access to Learning Fund (which can be paid as grant or loan); and the tuition fee grant which is paid directly to the institution. The tuition fee grant will be replaced by the tuition fee loan over the period.
	Funding to part-time students through the Access to Learning Fund is being increased significantly over the period.